Privacy Policy

_Last reviewed: 2026-05-20_

Sant Sanskriti Parishad, Haryana, India ("the Parishad", "we", "us") operates this portal (the "Portal"). We are committed to protecting your personal data in keeping with the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 (DPDP Act) and other applicable Indian law. This policy explains what we collect, why, how we protect it, and the rights you have over it.

1. Data we collect

Information you provide:

Name, mobile number, and email address (email optional)
Aadhaar number, collected solely for identity verification
Username and password (the password is stored only as a salted hash)
Guru name, tradition, sampradaya, lineage, and details of social/seva work
State, district, and pincode (if provided)
Profile photo, biography, and any content you choose to post

Information collected with your explicit consent:

Approximate geographic location, only when you opt in to the "Nearby" feature. Coordinates are rounded before storage to protect your precise location.

Information collected automatically:

Basic technical logs (such as access times and error logs) needed to operate and secure the Portal.

2. How we use your data

To verify your identity and route your registration to your State Administrator or declared guru for approval
To connect you with devotees, gurus, groups, temples, and traditions relevant to your region and lineage
To operate community features you use (posts, Q&A, groups, sharing)
To maintain the safety and integrity of the Portal and enforce our [Terms & Conditions](/terms)
For de-identified, aggregate administrative reporting (totals only — never used to single you out)

We do not sell your personal data, and we do not use it for advertising.

3. How we protect your data

Your Aadhaar number is encrypted at rest using AES-256-GCM. Only the last four digits are ever displayed, and the full number is never shown to other users.
Passwords are stored as salted hashes and are never stored or transmitted in plain text.
Access to sensitive data is restricted to authorised administrators on a need-to-know basis and is recorded in an audit log.

4. Sharing & disclosure

We share your data only:

with the State Administrator or guru responsible for approving and supporting your registration;
with other users to the extent you choose to make your profile and posts visible;
where required by law, court order, or a lawful government request;
with service providers strictly necessary to operate the Portal, under confidentiality obligations.

5. Data retention

We retain your data for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide the service and meet legal obligations. When you delete your account, we delete or irreversibly anonymise your personal data, except where retention is required by law.

6. Your rights under the DPDP Act

You have the right to:

Access — request a copy of the personal data we hold about you
Correction — request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data
Erasure — request deletion of your data and account
Withdraw consent — for any optional data (geo-location, social-works listing, public profile visibility) at any time, without affecting prior lawful processing
Grievance redressal — raise a complaint about how your data is handled

To exercise any of these rights, contact us through the [Contact](/contact) page.

7. Children

The Portal is not intended for persons under 18, and we do not knowingly collect their data.

8. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time. Material changes are reflected by the "Last reviewed" date above and, where appropriate, notified within the Portal.

9. Grievance Officer

For privacy concerns or to exercise your rights under the DPDP Act, please reach the Parishad's administrators via the [Contact](/contact) page. We aim to respond to verified requests within the timelines prescribed by law.

_The Portal is operated by Sant Sanskriti Parishad, Haryana, India._