The Bombay High Court on Friday suggested mediation as a possible way forward in the long-running dispute within the industrialist Kalyani family over ancestral wealth estimated at more than Rs 1 lakh crore.
The matter came up before Justice Rajesh Patil during the hearing of an interim application in a suit filed by Sugandha Hiremath. The suit seeks enforcement of a 1994 family agreement and also involves a challenge to its maintainability.
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Observing that the dispute has persisted for over two decades across multiple proceedings, the court proposed that the parties explore mediation not only in the present case but also for all related claims arising from the Hindu Undivided Family (HUF) arrangement.
The dispute involves siblings Baba Kalyani, Sugandha Hiremath and Gaurishankar Kalyani, along with their children, who have been engaged in protracted litigation on several fronts.
PARTIES SEEK TIME
Counsel appearing for the parties responded cautiously to the court’s suggestion. Senior advocate Dr Veerendra Tulzapukar, representing Baba Kalyani, told the court he would need to seek instructions. Counsel Kunal Dwarkadas, appearing for Sugandha Hiremath, said his client was open to mediation despite an earlier attempt having failed. Representatives for Gaurishankar Kalyani also sought time to obtain instructions.
Taking note of these submissions, the court adjourned the matter to April 15, when the parties are expected to indicate whether they are agreeable to the appointment of a mediator.
PAST MEDIATION FAILED
The court was informed that a previous attempt at mediation had not succeeded. In 2024, Sugandha Hiremath’s children approached a Pune court seeking their share in the ancestral property and proposed mediation. The matter was referred to the District Legal Services Authority in July 2024, but by October that year, the authority reported that the mediation process had failed.
‘HOPE FOR FAMILY RESOLUTION’
In a statement, Sugandha Hiremath said she continued to believe that family disputes are best resolved privately and expressed concern over the prolonged public nature of the litigation. She said the dispute carried a significant emotional toll and that she remained hopeful of an amicable resolution that would align with what their parents would have wanted.
She added that courts have increasingly supported mediation and that several prominent families have resolved similar disputes through such mechanisms.
– Ends
Published By:
Priyanka Kumari
Published On:
Mar 29, 2026 20:12 IST
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