ADR In INDIA
Prathamesh D Popat
Every society, every community, every culture has some or the other form/s of resolving the disputes faced by their constituents. Often, the longer and more prosperous the lineage, the more refined and varied the mechanisms. India is a country of many cultures and hence several dispute resolution mechanisms (DRMs) had evolved and been customized over time. We had the Gulas, the Kulas, and the Shrenis, DRMs tailor-made for different segments of society and we also had – and still have in several regions – the Panchayats, which exercise social influence within geographical boundaries. With the advent of British colonization, these varied DRMs by and large gave way to formal Courts of Law based on Anglo-Saxon jurisprudence.   1 Comment

Peter Adler: Mediation in India: Panchayat - Video
Peter Adler
Peter Adler speaks of his experiences of observing how mediation occurs in rural India, by Panchayats, rural governing bodies that parties in conflict would go to seeking resolutions.

Inter-religious Conflict Finds Forum For No-holds-barred Dialogue In Bangalore
Diane J. Levin
Every once in awhile, if we are fortunate, we meet an individual that intuition tells us is destined for great things.My friend Ashok Panikkar is one of those individuals. Ashok, who left Boston and returned to his native Bangalore two years ago, founded Meta-Culture, Bangalore's first center for dialogue and conflict transformation. When I interviewed Ashok in July 2005, he described his goals for Meta-Culture:Meta-Culture is in the process of creating India’s first integrated conflict...

What Would Gandhi Do?
Eileen Barker
While the rewards are great, working as a mediator can be very challenging. We are called upon to help people navigate some of life’s most difficult problems. I sometimes think: If I could seek guidance from any wise person, past or present, who would it be? My thoughts sometimes turn to great political leaders such as Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King, Jr., or noble spiritual beings such as Mother Teresa and the Dalai Lama. However, I invariably select Mohandas Gandhi, a man who was a master of both the political and spiritual realms, and who inspired each of these other individuals.   7 Comments

India Mediators