Privacy Policy

1. Who we are

This website is operated by Kritikatha ("Kritikatha", "we", "us" or "our"). For the purposes of the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 ("DPDP Act"), we are the Data Fiduciary for the personal data you share with us through this website.

This policy explains what personal data we collect, why we collect it, how we use and protect it, and the rights you have. By using this website or submitting a form, you acknowledge that you have read this policy.

2. Personal data we collect

We only collect personal data that you choose to give us, plus limited technical data needed to run and secure the website:

• Quote and contact requests: your name, email address, phone number, company, the services you're interested in, budget range, timeline and your message.
• Job applications: your name, email, phone number, location, experience, LinkedIn or portfolio links, cover note and the resume you upload.
• Newsletter sign-ups: your email address.
• Technical data: your IP address and basic request information, used briefly to prevent spam and abuse and to keep the website secure.

We do not ask for sensitive information such as financial details, health information or government identifiers through this website. Please don't include such information in your messages.

3. Why we use your data

We process your personal data only for clear, lawful purposes:

• To respond to your enquiry, understand your requirements and prepare proposals or quotes.
• To assess your job application and contact you about suitable roles.
• To send our newsletter, if you subscribed. Every email includes a way to unsubscribe.
• To protect the website against spam, fraud and misuse.
• To comply with applicable laws and respond to lawful requests from authorities.

We do not sell your personal data, and we do not use it for purposes unrelated to the reason you shared it.

4. Consent and legal basis

When you submit a form on this website, you give us your consent to process the personal data in it for the purpose described next to that form and in this policy. Some processing, such as keeping records required by law or preventing fraud, may also rely on the "legitimate uses" permitted under the DPDP Act.

You can withdraw your consent at any time by contacting us (see "Contact and grievance redressal"). Withdrawing consent won't affect processing that happened before you withdrew it, but we may no longer be able to respond to your enquiry or consider your application.

5. Cookies and similar technologies

This website uses only the cookies and similar technologies that are strictly necessary for it to work and stay secure, such as spam protection on forms and a secure session cookie for authorised staff signing in to our admin area. We do not currently use advertising or cross-site tracking cookies.

If we introduce analytics or marketing tools in the future, we will update this policy and, where required, ask for your consent first.

6. Who we share data with

We share personal data only when necessary, and only with:

• Service providers (Data Processors) who help us run this website and our business, such as website hosting, database, email delivery and spam-protection providers. They may process data only on our instructions and must protect it.
• Professional advisers such as lawyers or accountants, where needed.
• Authorities, when required by law, court order or to protect our rights, users or the public.

Some of our service providers may store or process data outside India. Where this happens, we transfer data only as permitted under the DPDP Act and any restrictions notified by the Government of India, and we take reasonable steps to ensure it is protected.

7. How long we keep data

We keep personal data only for as long as it's needed for the purpose it was collected, or as required by law. As a general guide:

• Enquiries and quote requests: for as long as needed to respond and manage any resulting engagement, and then for a reasonable period for our records.
• Job applications: for a reasonable period so we can consider you for future roles, unless you ask us to delete them sooner.
• Newsletter: until you unsubscribe.

When data is no longer needed, we delete it or anonymise it securely.

8. How we protect your data

We use reasonable security safeguards to protect personal data against unauthorised access, loss, misuse or alteration. These include encrypted connections (HTTPS), access controls limited to authorised staff, password protection, secure storage of uploaded resumes outside the public website, and spam and abuse protection on forms.

No system is completely secure. If a personal data breach occurs, we will act promptly to contain it and will notify affected individuals and the Data Protection Board of India as required by the DPDP Act and its rules.

9. Your rights

Under the DPDP Act, you have the right to:

• Access information about the personal data we hold about you and how we process it.
• Correct, complete or update inaccurate or incomplete personal data.
• Erase personal data that is no longer needed, subject to legal retention requirements.
• Withdraw consent at any time.
• Grievance redressal: raise a complaint with us and receive a response.
• Nominate another person to exercise your rights in the event of your death or incapacity.

To exercise any of these rights, contact us using the details below. We may need to verify your identity before acting on your request. If you're not satisfied with our response, you may approach the Data Protection Board of India.

10. Children's data

This website is intended for businesses and adults. We do not knowingly collect personal data from anyone under 18 years of age without verifiable consent from a parent or lawful guardian. If you believe a child has shared personal data with us, please contact us and we will delete it.

11. Third-party links

Our website may link to other websites or social media platforms. We are not responsible for their content or privacy practices, so please review their policies separately.

12. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time to reflect changes in law or in how we operate. The latest version will always be on this page, with the "Last updated" date shown at the top.

13. Contact and grievance redressal

For questions, requests or complaints about this policy or your personal data, contact our Grievance Officer at our contact page. Please include enough detail for us to understand and respond to your request. We aim to acknowledge requests promptly and resolve them within the timelines required by law.