Practice and Perspective at SIMC’s Specialist Mediators’ Workshop in India

January 29, 2026

Trainers for the workshop: Lum Kit-Wye, Associate Professor at Nanyang Technological University Singapore and International Mediators at SIMC and Seng Onn Loong, International Mediators at SIMC.

SIMC successfully concluded its first Specialist Mediators’ Workshop (SMW) of 2026 in New Delhi, India, bringing together a distinguished group of 20 senior practitioners from across the country. The cohort included Senior Legal Practitioners and Partners from leading law firms, Senior Advocate and Former Additional Solicitor General of India, member of the Bahrain International Commercial Court, Arbitrators and General Counsels. The diversity and seniority of the group created a rich environment for deep engagement, peer learning, and thoughtful exchange.

Commencing on the Day of Wisdom: Basant Panchmi and Mediation

The workshop was led by Seng Onn Loong, International Mediator at SIMC and Lum Kit-Wye, Associate Professor at Nanyang Technological University Singapore and also an International Mediator at SIMC, with valuable support from Gregory Vijayendran SC, Partner at Rajah & Tann LLP, Specialist Mediator & Board Member of SIMC and Siddharth Jha, Counsel at SIMC. Staying true to the SMW philosophy, the programme went far beyond theory. It was highly interactive, practice-driven, and experiential, designed specifically for seasoned practitioners who engage with complex and high-stakes disputes. Through carefully structured role-plays, demonstrations, and reflective debriefs, participants explored mediation not as an abstract concept, but as a refined professional practice grounded in real-world application.

Fittingly, the workshop commenced on the auspicious day of Basant Panchmi. In the Hindu calendar, Basant Panchmi marks the arrival of spring and is dedicated to Goddess Saraswati, the deity of knowledge, wisdom, learning, and refinement of thought. Beginning an intensive learning journey on a day symbolising intellectual clarity and the pursuit of wisdom felt especially meaningful, values that lie at the very heart of mediation.

Participants for the workshop were tasked to break off into smaller groups for mediation simualtions.

From Reflection to Real-World Impact: Participant Takeaways

We were honoured to have Justice Tejas Karia, Hon'ble Judge, High Court of Delhi, join us for the closing session. He spoke powerfully about the growing role of mediation in India, the importance of continued skill development for senior practitioners, and the need to be future-ready as mediation evolves institutionally and commercially. He also highlighted what distinguishes the SMW, noting that it is not a conventional “training”, but a hands-on workshop anchored in practice, reflection, and real-world problem-solving, making it particularly relevant and valuable for experienced professionals. The session concluded with participants receiving their certificates of completion from Justice Tejas Karia and Gregory Vijayendran SC, marking the formal recognition of their dedication and learning.

Participant reflections strongly echoed this philosophy. Many described the workshop as a deeply practical and rigorous learning experience, made possible by the trainers’ demonstrable depth of experience and inclusive, encouraging facilitation style. Several participants noted that while they arrived with established positions and certainties, they left with a much deeper appreciation of interests, options, and BATNAs—both their own and those of others. Beyond frameworks and techniques, what stood out was the rare combination of intellectual rigour and genuine human connection, fostered through thoughtful dialogue and peer engagement. Even participants who regularly teach or practise Harvard-style negotiation and contract drafting found the workshop to offer unexpected depth and fresh perspective, describing it as transformative, directly transferable to real disputes, and, in the words of one participant, “the mother of all mediation trainings.”

Group sessions were conducted with close guidance from the trainers and coaches, creating a supportive space for participants to practise and learn with confidence.

Meetings held in India

Alongside the workshop, SIMC’s visit to New Delhi also provided an opportunity for deeper engagement with key stakeholders in India’s mediation ecosystem. During the trip, SIMC met with its past Specialist Mediators from India, reaffirming ongoing relationships and exchanging perspectives on the evolving mediation landscape. SIMC also met with Dr. Lalit Bhasin, President of the Society of Indian Law Firms (SILF), to discuss potential avenues for collaboration aimed at promoting mediation among leading law firms and senior practitioners in India. In addition, SIMC engaged with the General Counsels’ Association of India (GCAI) to explore collaborative initiatives focused on the joint promotion and sensitisation of mediation among both senior and emerging General Counsels, as well as strengthening engagement with multinational corporations operating in India.

Through programmes like the SMW and its broader stakeholder engagements, SIMC continues to play an active role in strengthening mediation capacity globally, working closely with practitioners, institutions, and market stakeholders to support the professionalisation and growth of mediation across jurisdictions.

Congratulations to our newest batch of Specialist Mediators in India!

Introducing our newest batch of Specialist Mediators!

Ajay Bhargava – Partner, Khaitan & Co.
Ajit Kumar Mishra – Director, IRCON International Ltd
Ameya Gokhale – Partner, Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co.
Anish Wadia C.Arb – Arbitrator
Arumugam Thiagarajan – Advocate, Supreme Court of India
Binsy Susan – Partner, Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co.
Dr. Ajar Rab – Founding Partner, ANR Law
Dr. Ezzeldin Mohamad Mahmoud Hussein – Director General, ASA Smart Legal Translation
Dr. Misha Kumar – Founder, MMK Law Chambers
Dr. Pallab Das – Dean, School of Law, Centurion University of Technology and Management, Bhubaneswar
Dr. Pinky Anand – Senior Advocate, Supreme Court of India and Judge, Bahrain International Commercial Court
Kiran Kalra – Advocate , High Court of Delhi
Manmeet Singh – Partner, Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas & Co.
PVSD Gopala Krishna Murthy – Lawyer, Hyderabad
Sakshi Banga – Advocate , Supreme Court of India
Shaunak J. Thacker – Advocate , Thacker Chambers
Sidharth Sethi – Partner, JSA Advocates & Solicitors
Somashis Mohapatra – Head of Litigation, JSW Steels
Suchinto Chatterji – Founder, ILF Advocates
Vivek Gambhir – Arbitrator