Inter-Pacific Bar Association president-elect Priti Suri has formally inaugurated the 2026 conference with a traditional Indian lamp lighting ceremony, called deepa prajvalan, an auspicious ritual that signifies the ushering in of light, knowledge and prosperity.
With 850 registered delegates so far, this number is bigger than last year’s and the IPBA flagship Annual Meeting and Conference began today with Suri delivering the opening ceremony address.
IPBA outgoing president Michael Chu welcomed all the attendees and commended his successor for being the powerhouse behind the conference. He expressed his excitement about the future development of the IPBA under Suri’s leadership.
Suri, founder and managing partner of New Delhi-based law firm PSA, began her address by informing everyone about the sudden absence of the original keynote speaker Tushar Mehta, the solicitor-general of India and one of the highest-ranking law officers in the country. She said he had been suddenly called on for his expertise on a matter of national importance, but he wished the conference well and hoped to join participants later.
Chu and Suri led the lamp lighting ceremony, which also saw the participation of Indian Society of Law Firms President Lalit Bhasin, Jin Mao Partners’ founding partner Jack Li, JSA partner Upendra Nath Sharma, Phoenix Legal’s senior partner Manjula Chawla, IPBA vice-president James Jung and Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co partner Rudra Kumar Pandey.
Suri delved into the conference theme, The Future of Law: Agility, Creativity and Change, and remarked how law as a practice “guides us through turbulence as well as triumphs alike”.
She observed that from the start of her career decades ago, she had seen the profession of law transform how work had been done, with artificial intelligence (AI) currently being a big disruptor. “AI and technology are transforming how we all practice, how we resolve disputes,” she said.
The opening ceremony concluded with Suri welcoming all attendees to network and make the most of the sessions being held today and tomorrow.
