 This video has been organized basically on the request and advice of few of my friends and colleagues who wanted me to introduce and say a few things about the contents of my new book titled Mediation, Legitimacy and Practice. This is my seventh book and second with the publishing house Eastern Book Company, EBC. The first book which I did with the EBC was titled Two Diligence which had received great response. I'll talk about my first book as well but sometime later in another video. Today let me talk about my latest book which is forwarded by former Honourable Chief Justice of India and the current Honourable Attorney General of India. Well as the conflicting parties and litigants are evolving to becoming constructive and rational in their approach, alternative dispute resolution options are getting more preferred by each passing day. In recent times one of the most forthcoming alternatives to dispute resolution has been mediation. It is a process of dialogue, negotiations, discussions, conversations and communication initiated by the mediator to explore the likelihood of settlement between the conflicting and disputing parties. This book makes a very easy read for readers from all walks of life and is like an operating manual I would say for any lawyer or non lawyer venturing into mediation practice or even those people who are locked up in conflicts and disputes and are looking at an amicable resolution of the same. It is a slim book as you can see but it touches upon the origin, connotations, legitimacy, categories, skills and procedures and benefits of mediation. In recent times the courts of law and justice all across the globe not talking in respect of India only, these courts have acknowledged the significance of alternative dispute resolution especially mediation and conciliation. This realization got prompted due to two main reasons I think which I have discussed in the book one over burdening of the courts with time consuming litigation and second mediation having emerged as an inexpensive and speedy alternative to the contemporary justice system. The process has also led lawyers, juries, legal experts to shift from consultative and representative positions to assuming dispassionate mutual interpositions and to advance some sort of settlement tactic. Mediation has taken a pivotal lead amongst all the options under the alternative dispute resolution. I thought of writing this book because I found evidence to the effect that a huge number of people reported a higher degree of satisfaction with mediation than with arbitration or other court processes. Mainly because the parties to the dispute in a mediation are in a position to control the result and part of the resolution. Even in my view and based on my experience as a mediator, mediation does outdo all options of alternative dispute resolution. That's a strong statement I am making but provided obviously if the mediation is conducted within the domains and parameters of rules, ethics, skills and operating procedures of mediation. Well in mediation, the mediator is driven by the expectations of the parties in dispute, the identification of the middle ground and the probability of the parties reaching a consensus with the aid and advice of the mediator. In short, mediation is a process that is concentrated largely upon the rights and concerns of the parties. The mediator being more than a referee and he applies comprehensive set of skills to steer the resolution course on a productive path to facilitate the parties to find an ideal solution to their conflicts and disputes. Well this book is available with almost all the law booksellers and EBC's online web store. Thank you.