CAM presents, NALSAR Mediation Tournament, in collaboration with IAMC began on the 20th of January, 2022. 24 teams from top law Universities across India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka participated in the Tournament, with Akshita Kothari from Himachal Pradesh National Law University (HPNLU) being declared as the Best Mediator, and Shrijaya Singh and Astha Rath from National University of Juridical Sciences (NUJS) being declared as the Best Negotiating Pair. The team from National Law University, Jodhpur (NLUJ) consisting of Tushar Pundit, Saanvi Shekhawat, and Addyaa Purohit were declared as the Best Team of the Tournament.
The Tournament got off to a great start with the Opening Ceremony being inaugurated by Vikram Pooserla, Senior Advocate, Tariq Khan, Registrar, IAMC Hyderabad, and the Registrar of the University, Prof. Dr. K Vidyullatha Reddy. The three honourable dignitaries offered valuable words of advice to the teams present, and provided them with encouragement for the upcoming two days of intense competition.
To provide the teams with a holistic experience, the Tournament also saw the conduct of two Workshops, held by PACT, and IAMC. The Workshop held by PACT introduced what Mediation is, and provided teams with preparation, tips, and tricks for a Mediation Tournament. Romit Sarkar, from the team at IAMC held a Workshop titled – “Mainstreaming Mediation – Helping Clients Understand what they need through Litigation Interest and Risk Analysis (LIRA)”, which provided participants valuable insights into Mediation in the real-world context.
The problem for the Tournament, drafted by Kritika Krishnamurthy, Director, Bridge Think Tank, was based on a concept unique in the domestic context, consisting of a single dispute, which evolved progressively through each successive round. This provided teams with a more wholesome, realistic experience of a single dispute being comprehensively resolved till its conclusion.
After three intense preliminary rounds, 4 Mediators and Negotiating Pairs progressed to the Semi-Finals. The two Semi-Finals benches consisted of decorated individuals including Suadat Ahmad Kirmani, Manager, Tatva Legal, Manisha Unnam and Shravan Unnam, from Hyderabad Arbitration Centre (HAC), Prahastha M, Senior Associate, CAM, SwapneshIkkurthi, from PACT, and Pallavi Gauri, an alumnus with a long list of ADR achievements.
The Grand Finale consisted of a five-judge bench consisting of reputed dignitaries from India and Nepal, and was as follows:
