Rajesh describes himself as a mediation activist. He works exclusively in the field of mediation—writing and speaking on mediation, teaching and training aspiring mediators, conceiving and executing strategic mediation courses and events, practising mediation, and actively championing the cause of mediation.
Rajesh, an International Mediation Institute (IMI)–qualified mediator, is the president of The Mediation Society, a not-for-profit organisation that works to promote mediation. Among other responsibilities, he is in overall charge of operationalising two initiatives designed by him—Mediation 360 (public awareness and gatekeeper sensitisation programmes) and Mediation GRID (a network of mini mediation centres across Kerala).
His 100-hour Mediation Masterclass, a comprehensive mediation training programme, is delivered exclusively through The Mediation Society. Delivered in three segments—Foundational, Intermediate, and Professional—the programme trains participants across the full spectrum of mediation, from core principles to advanced practice skills.
He has written and spoken extensively on mediation and other forms of ADR. (Click here for a selected list of his training and speaking engagements and writing assignments.)
Rajesh was formerly the Chair of the Committee of Coordinators of Project M for Mediation, a collective formed to promote mediation in Kerala and the predecessor of The Mediation Society, under which several mediation-focused initiatives and events were organised. He also co-led Settle 2021, as Co-Chair of the Organising Committee—one of the most extensive online gatherings on mediation in Kerala’s legal history. The initiative comprised over 30 independent events, including four international panel discussions, two specialised workshops, and awareness sessions for more than 20 organisations across Kerala.
Before returning to India in 2019, he had direct professional experience in Singapore and Malaysia, with extensive professional engagements across Southeast Asia. He was formerly the Director of the ASEAN Legal Information Centre (ASEAN LIC), a centre co-established by the University of Malaya (Kuala Lumpur) with the support of leading Southeast Asian law schools to promote access to ASEAN law. He also served as Executive Editor of Malaysian Judgments (the then official repository of the Malaysian judiciary) and as Group Editor of ASEAN LIC publications. Earlier in his career, he was the Chief Knowledge Officer of one of Malaysia’s oldest and largest law firms, and a foreign lawyer with a premier firm in Singapore.
Rajesh holds an LLB from Mahatma Gandhi University, Kerala (where he topped the class jointly) and an LLM with Distinction from Staffordshire University, United Kingdom, where he was an ODA Scholar. He has also undertaken advanced training in arbitration at the National University of Singapore.
Rajesh has been trained in mediation through the India International Mediation Training jointly conducted by Edwards Mediation Academy (USA) and CAMP Mediation (Bengaluru, India). He has also received training from the Singapore Mediation Centre and LEADR (now part of the Resolution Institute), Australia.
Beyond mediation, he is actively engaged in community initiatives, including READ, a first-of-its-kind programme in Kerala aimed at fostering self-awareness and social responsibility among adolescents. He takes his food seriously and enjoys exploring and writing about it.