Chennai, Mar 8 (IANS): Senior advocate and a pioneer in the field of mediation Sriram Panchu on Friday termed his nomination as a member of the mediation committee to settle the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid Ayodhya title dispute as a "very serious responsibility".

In a brief statement issued here, Panchu said: "It is a very serious responsibility given to me by the honourable Supreme Court. I will do my best."

He, however, declined to say anything more on his nomination by the apex court when IANS reached him for his comments.

Panchu is a known and expert mediator who founded The Mediation Chambers in 2005.

He is the president of the Association of Indian Mediators and a director on the board of the International Mediation Institute (IMI).

Panchu set up India's first court-annexed mediation centre in 2005.

He was appointed by the Supreme Court to mediate a 500-square kilometre dispute between the states of Assam and Nagaland, and another public dispute involving the Parsi community in Mumbai.