School of Law, Mahindra University, inaugurates Int’l Arbitration Confluence

PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE

The School of Law at Mahindra University, Hyderabad, inaugurated the three-day International Arbitration Confluence 2026 (IAC 2026) dedicated to examining the intersection of law, technology and global dispute resolution at the APJ Abdul Kalam Auditorium on campus. The event is hosted under the aegis of the Seeding Centre for Peace and Justice, MU-ADR, in collaboration with IIAM-APCAM and HNLU, Raipur.

A Distinguished Gathering

The inauguration was presided over byMrJustice V Kameswar Rao, Judge, High Court of Delhi, as chief guest. The ceremony was attended by Guests of Honour —Mr Justice Jasmeet Singh, Judge, High Court of Delhi;Mr Justice Advait Sethna, Judge, High Court of Bombay; Mr Justice Ravindra Bhat, former judge, Supreme Court of India; and Mr Justice G Raghuram, Former Director, National Judicial Academy. Special inviteesGourab Banerji and Pinky Anand, both senior advocates of the Supreme Court of India, also graced the occasion.

The dignitaries were felicitated by Yajulu Medury,Vice Chancellor, Mahindra University, and Prof (Dr) E R Jayaram, Dean, School of Law, Mahindra University. Anil Xavier, senior advocate and president of IIAM, and Prof V C Vivekanandan, Vice Chancellor of HNLU, Raipur, served as co-hosts of the event.

Key Addresses

Speaking on the occasion, Xavier emphasised the imperative of integrating law schools into the justice delivery system, articulating that justice must be prompt, affordable, satisfying and amicable — a vision he sees realised through the Confluence’s founding intent.

Justice G Raghuram urged the ADR community to engage in honest critical reflection on the structural weaknesses and “pathologies” of alternative dispute resolution, cautioning against complacency in the face of systemic challenges.

Justice Ravindra Bhat underscored that ADR represents a fundamentally different conception of justice — one that moves beyond adversarial frameworks toward a resolution that is humane and restorative.

Justice Advait Sethna highlighted the primacy of dialogue in dispute resolution, arguing that meaningful conversation between parties remains the most reliable path to mutually beneficial outcomes.

Justice Jasmeet Singh drew attention to the enduring centrality of the human element in arbitral proceedings, calling for progressive and purposive interpretation of Section 34 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act — particularly in the context of rapidly advancing artificial intelligence.

In his address, Justice V Kameswar Rao reflected on ADR’s inherent adaptability to technological and economic transformation, stressing that institutional arbitration — with its emphasis on transparency, accountability and structured process — remains the most credible framework for navigating this evolution. He called for a deliberate balance between technological innovation and the irreplaceable quality of human understanding in dispute resolution.

MoU between Mahindra University and HNLU, Raipur

A significant highlight of the ceremony was the announcement by Prof V C Vivekanandan of the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Hidayatullah National Law University (HNLU), Raipur and Mahindra University. The MoU signals a formal commitment to collaborative academic programmes, joint research initiatives and shared expertise between the two institutions in the years ahead.

Unveiling of the Seeding Centre for Peace and Justice

The inauguration concluded with the formal unveiling of the Mahindra University Seeding Centre for Peace and Justice — the first dispute resolution centre of its kind to be housed within a university campus in India. The Centre facilitates institutional arbitration, mediation, and technology-enabled dispute resolution aligned with international standards. By embedding live dispute resolution, professional training, and research within the academic ecosystem, the Centre repositions the law school as an active, functioning hub for the dispensation of justice.

What Lies Ahead

With the stage now set, the Confluence moves into its second and third days, featuring over 40 distinguished speakers drawn from the judiciary, legal practice, academia and industry across India and the world. The programme ahead includes high-level expert talks, panel discussions and a fireside chat focused specifically on institutionalising justice delivery through legal education. The deliberations are designed to produce actionable insights for policymakers, legal practitioners, and educators — contributing meaningfully to the broader national conversation on modernising India’s dispute resolution ecosystem.