1. Introduction

Shrimati India ("we," "our," or "the Council") is committed to protecting the privacy of every individual who interacts with our website, applies for membership, participates in our programs, or contacts us through any of our communication channels.

This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, why we collect it, how it is used, and the choices available to you regarding your personal information. We believe that privacy is an important part of building trust, and we are committed to handling your information responsibly and with appropriate safeguards.

By using our website or submitting your information through our forms, you agree to the practices described in this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with any part of this policy, please discontinue the use of our website or refrain from submitting personal information.

This Privacy Policy applies only to information collected through our official website and online services. It does not apply to information collected by third-party websites that may be linked from our platform.

Effective Date: [Insert Date]

2. Information We Collect

The information we collect depends on how you interact with Shrimati India. For example, you may provide different information when applying for membership than when simply contacting us through our website.

2.1 Information You Provide

We may collect information such as:

• Full name
• Email address
• Mobile number
• Postal address
• Date of birth (where required)
• Gender (where applicable)
• Occupation or profession
• Organization or institution name (if applicable)

2.2 Membership & Program Information

If you register as a member, volunteer, committee participant, or event attendee, we may collect additional details necessary to process your application and manage your participation, including:

• Membership application details
• Volunteer preferences
• Committee selections
• Event registrations
• Training or workshop participation records

2.3 Payment Information

If you make a membership payment or donation, payment processing may be handled by a secure third-party payment provider. We do not store your complete debit card, credit card, or banking credentials on our servers.

2.4 Information Collected Automatically

When you visit our website, certain technical information may be collected automatically to help us maintain website performance and security. This may include:

• IP address
• Browser type and version
• Device information
• Operating system
• Pages visited and time spent on the website
• Referring website or search engine

3. How We Use Your Information

We collect only the information that is reasonably necessary to operate our programs, communicate with members, and improve the services offered by Shrimati India.

Your information may be used to:

• Process membership applications and maintain member records.
• Respond to enquiries, requests, and support messages.
• Register participants for events, workshops, campaigns, and training programmes.
• Send important announcements related to memberships, events, and Council activities.
• Issue payment receipts, donation acknowledgements, or membership confirmations.
• Improve our website, services, and user experience through usage analysis.
• Prevent misuse, fraud, or unauthorized access to our website.
• Comply with applicable legal, regulatory, or governmental requirements.

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties for marketing or advertising purposes. Any information shared with trusted service providers is limited to what is necessary for them to perform services on our behalf and is subject to appropriate confidentiality obligations.

4. Cookies & Tracking Technologies

Our website uses cookies and similar technologies to improve functionality, understand how visitors use our website, and provide a better browsing experience. Cookies are small text files that are stored on your device when you visit a website.

4.1 Types of Cookies We Use

• Essential Cookies: Required for the website to function properly, such as maintaining security and enabling basic website features.
• Performance Cookies: Help us understand visitor behaviour, identify popular pages, and improve website performance.
• Preference Cookies: Remember your preferences, such as language or other settings, to provide a more personalized experience.

4.2 Analytics

We may use website analytics tools to collect aggregated and anonymous information about website traffic, page views, device types, and user interactions. This information helps us evaluate the effectiveness of our content and improve the overall user experience.

4.3 Managing Cookies

Most web browsers allow you to manage, block, or delete cookies through browser settings. Please note that disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of some parts of our website.

5. Sharing of Information

We respect the confidentiality of your personal information and do not sell or rent your personal data to any individual, company, or marketing organization.

We may share your information only when it is necessary for the operation of our services or when required by law.

Information may be shared with:

• Authorized Council Members and Staff who require access to perform administrative, membership, or program-related responsibilities.
• Service Providers that assist with website hosting, email communication, technical support, or payment processing.
• Payment Gateway Providers for securely processing membership fees, donations, or event registrations.
• Government or Regulatory Authorities when disclosure is required by applicable law, legal proceedings, or official requests.
• Program or Event Partners where limited information is necessary to organize workshops, conferences, training sessions, or collaborative initiatives.

We require our service providers and partners to handle personal information responsibly and to use it only for the specific purpose for which it has been shared.

6. Data Security

Protecting your personal information is important to us. We implement reasonable technical, administrative, and organizational measures to safeguard the information entrusted to us against unauthorized access, misuse, alteration, disclosure, or accidental loss.

Our security practices may include:

• Secure hosting infrastructure and encrypted website connections (HTTPS).
• Restricted access to personal information based on authorized roles.
• Regular monitoring of website security and system performance.
• Routine software updates and security maintenance.
• Secure handling of membership and administrative records.

While we strive to maintain appropriate security standards, no method of electronic transmission or digital storage can guarantee absolute security. Users are encouraged to protect their own devices and avoid sharing sensitive account credentials with others.

If we become aware of any security incident that may affect your personal information, we will take appropriate steps to investigate the matter and, where required by applicable law, notify affected individuals or relevant authorities.

7. Data Retention

We retain personal information only for as long as it is necessary to fulfill the purposes described in this Privacy Policy or to comply with applicable legal, regulatory, accounting, or administrative requirements.

The length of time we keep your information depends on the nature of your interaction with Shrimati India. For example, membership records may be retained for administrative and historical purposes, while enquiry records may be deleted once they are no longer required.

We may retain information for purposes including:

• Maintaining membership and volunteer records.
• Managing donations and financial transactions.
• Complying with legal and regulatory obligations.
• Resolving disputes or responding to legitimate requests.
• Maintaining historical records of Council activities where appropriate.

When personal information is no longer required, we take reasonable steps to securely delete, anonymize, or dispose of the information using appropriate methods.

8. Your Rights

We respect your right to know how your personal information is used and, where permitted by applicable law, you may request access to or control over your personal information.

Depending on the applicable laws, you may have the right to:

• Request access to the personal information we hold about you.
• Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information.
• Request deletion of your personal information where legally permissible.
• Withdraw consent for communications or specific processing activities.
• Opt out of newsletters or promotional communications at any time.
• Request clarification about how your personal information is being used.

To exercise any of these rights, you may contact us using the contact details provided at the end of this Privacy Policy. For security purposes, we may request additional information to verify your identity before processing your request.

Certain requests may be limited where we are required to retain information for legal, regulatory, or legitimate organizational purposes.

9. Children's Privacy

Our website and online services are intended for a general audience and are not specifically designed to collect personal information from children.

If any of our educational, awareness, or community programs involve participants under the age required by applicable law, personal information will only be collected with the consent of a parent, legal guardian, school, or authorized institution where required.

If we become aware that personal information has been submitted by a child without the necessary authorization, we will take reasonable steps to remove the information from our records as soon as practicable.

Parents or guardians who believe that a child has provided personal information through our website may contact us to request review or deletion of that information.

10. Third-Party Services

To operate our website and deliver certain services efficiently, we may rely on trusted third-party service providers. These providers perform specific functions on our behalf and may have access to limited information only when it is necessary to deliver those services.

Third-party services used by the Council may include:

• Payment gateway providers for processing membership fees and donations.
• Email and communication platforms for newsletters and official notifications.
• Website hosting and cloud infrastructure providers.
• Analytics services that help us understand website usage and performance.
• Event registration or webinar platforms used for Council programs and activities.

Each third-party provider operates under its own privacy practices and terms of service. While we carefully select reputable service providers, we encourage users to review the privacy policies of those providers before using their services.

11. External Links

Our website may contain links to websites operated by government departments, educational institutions, partner organizations, sponsors, social media platforms, or other third parties for your convenience and reference.

Once you leave our website, you are subject to the privacy policies and terms of use of the external website. We do not control and are not responsible for the content, security, or privacy practices of any third-party website.

We recommend reviewing the privacy policy of every external website before providing any personal information or completing any online transaction.

12. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our services, operational practices, legal requirements, or applicable regulations.

Whenever significant changes are made, the revised version will be published on this page along with the updated Effective Date. Continued use of our website after the revised policy becomes effective constitutes acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy.

We encourage visitors and members to review this page periodically to stay informed about how we protect and manage personal information.

13. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or the way your personal information is handled, you may contact us using the details below.

Shrimati Women's Empowerment Council
Shrimati India

Email: support@shrimatiindia.org
Phone: +91-1169310892
Website: www.shrimatiindia.org
Office Address:
Technopolis Building 11th Floor Salt Lake Sec V (Awfis) Kolkata 700091

We will make reasonable efforts to respond to privacy-related enquiries and requests within an appropriate timeframe.