1. About this Privacy Policy
Pravaha Foundation (‘Pravaha’, ‘we’, ‘us’, or ‘our’) respects the privacy of the children, parents and lawful guardians, program participants, alumni, volunteers, facilitators, mentors, speakers, partner representatives, website visitors, and others who interact with us.
This Privacy Policy explains what personal information we collect, why we collect it, how we use and share it, how long we retain it, and the choices and rights available to individuals whose personal information we process.
This Policy applies to personal information collected through:
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our website, www.pravaha.in
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program applications and registration forms
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consent and participation forms
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schools, educational institutions, and program partners
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online and in-person programs, workshops, residential programs, field visits, and events
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email, telephone, WhatsApp, and other communication channels
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photographs, audio recordings, video recordings, and program documentation
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surveys, feedback forms, assessments, and participant submissions
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other interactions with Pravaha
Use of our website alone does not constitute consent to every form of processing described in this Policy. Where consent is required, it will be sought through an appropriate form, notice, agreement, or other mechanism.
2. Applicable Law
Pravaha processes personal information in accordance with applicable Indian law.
This includes, where applicable, the Information Technology Act, 2000, rules made under it, and the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 (‘DPDP Act’) and Digital Personal Data Protection Rules, 2025 (‘DPDP Rules’), to the extent that their respective provisions are in force and applicable.
We intend to update our privacy practices as legal requirements evolve.
3. Who We Are
Pravaha Foundation
Registered Office:
4th Floor, Vamsiram Jyothi Arena
MCH No. 8-2-120/86/2
Venkat Nagar, Banjara Hills
Hyderabad – 500034
Telangana, India
Website: www.pravaha.in
Privacy and data-related enquiries: info@pravaha.in
4. Children and Young Participants
Many Pravaha programs are designed for children and young people.
For the purposes of this Policy, a person below the age of 18 is treated as a child.
Where a participant is under 18, Pravaha requires the consent of a parent or lawful guardian before the child participates in a program and before Pravaha processes the child’s personal information for program-related purposes.
We may take reasonable steps to verify:
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the identity and age of the person providing consent
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that the person providing consent is an adult
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that the person is the participant’s parent or lawful guardian
Where reasonably necessary for verification, travel, accommodation, program administration, safety, or compliance purposes, we may request supporting identification or documentation.
Pravaha does not intentionally use children’s personal information for behavioural advertising or targeted advertising.
We seek to process children’s personal information only for purposes connected with their participation, safety, learning experience, program administration, communication, documentation, or other purposes authorised through the applicable consent process.
5. Information We May Collect
Depending on the program or interaction, Pravaha may collect the following information.
A. Identity and contact information
This may include:
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full name
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age and date of birth
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gender, where relevant
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residential city or location
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email address
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telephone or mobile number
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school or educational institution
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grade, class, or year of study
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parent or lawful guardian details
B. Program and educational information
This may include:
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program applications
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responses to application questions
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program preferences
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participation records
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attendance
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assignments
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assessments
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reflections
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feedback
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surveys
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presentations
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project work
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other information generated through participation in a Pravaha program
C. Health, accessibility, and safety information
For residential programs, field visits, travel, events, or other activities where such information is reasonably necessary, we may collect:
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medical conditions
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allergies
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dietary requirements
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medication information
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accessibility requirements
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relevant health or safety information
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emergency contact details
Such information is collected to support the participant’s health, safety, accessibility, and appropriate program arrangements.
Access to this information will be limited to persons who reasonably require it for program delivery, safeguarding, accessibility, safety, logistics, or emergency response.
Unless there is a valid reason to retain it longer, health, medical, emergency-contact, and related safety information will ordinarily be deleted within 90 days after the relevant program ends.
Valid reasons for longer retention may include a safeguarding concern, incident, dispute, legal requirement, insurance matter, or other legitimate and lawful requirement.
D. Identification and verification information
Where reasonably necessary, we may collect or verify information contained in:
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government-issued identification
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school or institutional identification
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age-verification documents
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travel-related identification
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other documents required for program participation, accommodation, travel, or verification
We will use such information only for relevant verification, administrative, safety, travel, accommodation, legal, or program purposes.
Where verification is sufficient, Pravaha will seek to avoid retaining copies of identification documents unnecessarily.
Unless there is a valid legal, safeguarding, administrative, travel-related, or dispute-related reason to retain them longer, copies of identification documents will ordinarily be deleted within 90 days after the relevant program ends.
E. Payment-reference information
Pravaha does not ordinarily collect program fees directly from participants.
Where payment is made to a school, institutional partner, program partner, or another authorised entity, Pravaha may collect payment confirmation details such as:
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transaction references
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UTR or payment reference numbers
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payment confirmation screenshots
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receipts
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similar information
This information is used for reconciliation and confirmation of program participation.
Pravaha does not require or retain participants’ card numbers, online-banking passwords, UPI PINs, or similar banking credentials.
F. Photographs, audio, video, and program documentation
Pravaha programs may involve:
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photography
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video recording
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audio recording
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recording of presentations or discussions
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documentation of program activities
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participant testimonials
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documentation of field visits, residential programs, projects, events, and other program activities
The use of such material is explained further in Section 8.
G. Student and participant work
We may collect, retain, reproduce, or use:
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written work
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presentations
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projects
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artwork
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photographs of work
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reflections
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prototypes
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recordings
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group outputs
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other material produced during a Pravaha program
Where such work is used publicly, it will ordinarily be presented anonymously unless identification or attribution is specifically permitted under the applicable consent form or otherwise authorised.
H. Communications
We may retain communications exchanged through:
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email
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WhatsApp
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telephone
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messaging platforms
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program groups
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enquiry forms
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other communication channels
I. Website and technical information
When you use our website, our hosting provider, security systems, or underlying website technology may automatically process limited technical information such as:
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IP address
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browser type
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device information
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date and time of access
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pages requested
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server or security logs
We use such information primarily for website operation, security, diagnostics, and technical administration.
6. How We Collect Information
We may collect personal information:
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directly from participants
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from parents or lawful guardians
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through program application or registration forms
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through consent forms
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from schools, educational institutions, or program partners
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through communications with Pravaha
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during programs and activities
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through photographs, recordings, surveys, assessments, and feedback
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from facilitators, mentors, program staff, or authorised service providers
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automatically through limited website and server functions
Where information is provided to Pravaha by a school, educational institution, program partner, parent, guardian, or another authorised person, Pravaha will process that information in accordance with this Policy and applicable law.
7. How We Use Personal Information
Pravaha may use personal information to:
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process program enquiries, applications, and registrations
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assess eligibility or suitability for a program
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confirm program participation
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communicate with participants and parents or guardians
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administer online and in-person programs
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organise residential programs, travel, accommodation, meals, and field activities
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make accessibility, dietary, medical, and safety arrangements
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respond to emergencies
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maintain attendance and program records
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provide mentoring or facilitation
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communicate with schools and program partners
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reconcile payment confirmations made to program partners
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evaluate programs and improve program design
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collect feedback and understand participant experiences
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maintain safeguarding and organisational records
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document programs and activities
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maintain alumni and participant relationships
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respond to enquiries and requests
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operate and secure our website and digital systems
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comply with legal obligations
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establish, exercise, or defend legal claims
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carry out other purposes that are reasonably connected with the purpose for which the information was collected and that are permitted by law
We will not intentionally use personal information for an unrelated purpose without an appropriate basis or additional consent where required.
Communication about future Pravaha programs, events, opportunities, or activities is addressed separately in Section 10.
8. Photographs, Video, Audio, Student Work, and Program Media
Photography, video recording, audio recording, and program documentation may form part of Pravaha programs and activities.
Before participation, the participant, or the participant’s parent or lawful guardian where the participant is under 18, is required to complete the applicable program consent process.
Program-related documentation
The program consent process may include consent for photography, recording, and documentation that is reasonably necessary for:
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program administration
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internal program documentation
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learning and educational purposes
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safeguarding
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evaluation
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internal organisational records
Where such processing is necessary for the safe or effective delivery of the program, it may form part of the conditions of participation.
Public-facing use
Use of identifiable photographs, audio, video, testimonials, or other participant material for public-facing purposes will be subject to separate consent.
Public-facing purposes may include:
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Pravaha’s website
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Pravaha’s social-media channels
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publicity
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external communications
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promotional materials
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marketing materials
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public presentations
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other public-facing organisational communication
Consent for public-facing use is not automatically implied by participation in a Pravaha program.
Where consent for public-facing use has been provided, Pravaha may use the authorised material for the purposes described in that consent without seeking fresh permission each time the same authorised material is used for a covered purpose.
Student or participant work used publicly will ordinarily be anonymised unless the relevant consent specifically permits the participant to be identified or attributed.
Withdrawal of public-media consent
Where consent may legally be withdrawn, a participant, parent, or lawful guardian may contact Pravaha at info@pravaha.in.
Withdrawal of consent will ordinarily operate prospectively.
Where reasonably practicable, Pravaha will consider removing affected material from websites, social-media accounts, digital platforms, or other channels under Pravaha’s direct control.
Pravaha may not be able to recall:
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printed material already distributed
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material already incorporated into completed publications
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material independently copied, downloaded, shared, or republished by third parties
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material that must lawfully be retained
Nothing in this section limits any right available under applicable law.
9. Consent and Withdrawal
Where Pravaha relies on consent, we aim to ensure that the individual, or the parent or lawful guardian where applicable, receives information reasonably necessary to understand:
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what information is being collected
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why it is being collected
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how it may be used
Consent given for one purpose does not automatically constitute consent for an unrelated purpose.
Where consent may legally be withdrawn, a person may contact us at info@pravaha.in.
Withdrawal of consent does not invalidate processing that lawfully occurred before the withdrawal.
Certain information may be necessary to administer a program safely or effectively. Where the processing of particular information is necessary for participation, withdrawing consent to that processing may make continued participation impracticable or impossible.
Where relevant, we will explain this to the participant or parent or guardian.
10. Communications, WhatsApp Groups, Future Outreach, and Alumni Engagement
Pravaha may use email, telephone, WhatsApp, or similar communication channels for:
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program administration
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logistical information
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reminders
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program groups
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parent or participant communication
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program follow-up
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alumni engagement
Operational and administrative communications relating to an active program may be sent where reasonably necessary for program delivery.
Future programs and outreach
Consent to participate in a Pravaha program does not automatically constitute consent to receive future promotional or outreach communication.
Where Pravaha wishes to send information about future programs, events, opportunities, or activities, participants, parents, guardians, or alumni may be asked to provide separate consent for such communications.
A person who has consented to future outreach may opt out at any time by contacting Pravaha or using any opt-out method provided.
WhatsApp and similar group platforms
Where Pravaha creates a WhatsApp group or similar group communication channel, members should be aware that other members of the group may be able to see information made visible by the platform, including:
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mobile telephone numbers
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profile names
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profile photographs
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information voluntarily posted within the group
Participants and parents should take this into account before joining such groups.
Where children are involved, Pravaha will seek to use group communication arrangements appropriate to the program, age of participants, and consent provided by the parent or lawful guardian.
WhatsApp and similar services are operated by third-party providers. Their own privacy policies and terms also apply to information processed through those services.
11. Sharing of Personal Information
Pravaha does not sell or rent personal information.
We may share limited personal information where reasonably necessary for program delivery, administration, safety, technology services, institutional collaboration, or legal compliance.
The nature of such sharing depends on the role of the third party.
A. Service providers processing information for Pravaha
Pravaha may engage service providers that process personal information in connection with services provided to Pravaha.
These may include:
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cloud-storage providers
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email and communication services
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website hosting providers
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technology platforms
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video-conferencing platforms
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administrative service providers
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technical support providers
Where appropriate, Pravaha will seek to use reputable providers and require reasonable safeguards relating to personal information.
B. Independent program partners and organisations
Pravaha may also work with organisations that independently determine how they process information for their own functions.
These may include:
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schools and educational institutions
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universities and academic partners
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NGOs
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program partners
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accommodation providers
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transport providers
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field-visit hosts
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venues
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mentors or subject experts acting independently
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professional advisers
Where such organisations independently process personal information, their own privacy policies and legal obligations may also apply.
C. Other necessary disclosures
Pravaha may also disclose personal information:
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to authorised staff, facilitators, mentors, or volunteers who reasonably require access
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to emergency, medical, safeguarding, or safety personnel where necessary
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to government, regulatory, judicial, law-enforcement, or other authorities where required or permitted by law
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where reasonably necessary to establish, exercise, or defend legal rights
Pravaha seeks to limit any information shared to what is reasonably necessary for the relevant purpose.
Health, medical, safety, identification, and other sensitive information will be shared only with persons who reasonably require it for the relevant program, safety, safeguarding, accessibility, logistical, legal, or emergency purpose.
12. Program Partners and Third-Party Services
Some third parties process information on Pravaha’s behalf, while others act independently and determine their own purposes and methods of processing.
Where a third party acts as a service provider to Pravaha, we seek to ensure that it uses information only for appropriate purposes and applies reasonable safeguards.
Where a third party independently determines how personal information is processed, its own privacy policy and terms may apply in addition to this Policy.
Pravaha encourages individuals to review the privacy practices of third-party platforms and services they use.
13. Retention of Personal Information
Unless a different period applies under this Policy or is required for a specific legal or operational reason, Pravaha generally retains program-related personal information for up to three years from the participant’s last program or substantive interaction with Pravaha.
This may include:
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program applications
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registration information
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attendance records
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consent records
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program participation records
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alumni records
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feedback
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organisational program records
Health, emergency, and identification information
Health, medical, medication, emergency-contact, accessibility, and similar safety-related information will ordinarily be deleted within 90 days after the relevant program ends.
Copies of identification documents collected solely for a particular program will also ordinarily be deleted within 90 days after the relevant program ends.
Such information may be retained longer where reasonably necessary because of:
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a safeguarding concern
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an accident or incident
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a legal or regulatory requirement
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an insurance matter
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a dispute or legal claim
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travel or accommodation requirements
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another legitimate and lawful reason
Publicly used media
Photographs, recordings, participant work, testimonials, or other material lawfully used for public-facing purposes under an applicable consent may remain in published material for longer than the general three-year retention period.
Requests relating to withdrawal of public-media consent will be handled as described in Section 8.
Other exceptions
Other information may also be retained for longer where reasonably necessary:
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to comply with applicable law
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for safeguarding or child-protection purposes
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for the establishment, exercise, or defence of legal claims
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to resolve disputes
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to maintain necessary financial or reconciliation records
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to maintain consent or permissions records
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to maintain necessary organisational or historical program records
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where another legitimate and lawful reason requires continued retention
We may retain anonymised or aggregated information that no longer reasonably identifies an individual for organisational learning, historical records, program evaluation, research, or analysis.
Information may also be deleted earlier where it is no longer reasonably required.
14. Security
Pravaha takes reasonable administrative, organisational, and technical measures to protect personal information against:
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unauthorised access
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misuse
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loss
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alteration
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disclosure
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destruction
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other unauthorised processing
These measures may include access controls, restricted permissions, password protection, secure platforms, staff practices, and limiting access to information according to operational need.
No method of electronic storage, communication, or transmission is completely secure. Accordingly, Pravaha cannot guarantee absolute security.
Participants, parents, guardians, staff, and others should also take reasonable care when sharing personal or sensitive information electronically.
15. Personal Data Breaches
If Pravaha becomes aware of a personal data breach, we will take reasonable steps to:
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investigate the incident
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contain or mitigate the breach where possible
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assess the nature and potential consequences of the incident
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protect affected individuals
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make notifications to affected individuals and relevant authorities where required by applicable law
16. Cookies, Analytics, and Website Technologies
As of the date of this Privacy Policy, Pravaha does not intentionally use third-party advertising or behavioural-tracking technologies on www.pravaha.in.
The website, hosting infrastructure, security systems, WordPress, Elementor, or other essential website components may nevertheless use technical cookies, logs, third-party requests, or similar technologies necessary for the site to function, remain secure, display content, or provide requested features.
Pravaha may introduce analytics or other website technologies in the future.
If we introduce technologies that materially affect how personal information is collected or used, we will update this Privacy Policy and provide additional notice or consent mechanisms where required by applicable law.
We do not intend to use website technologies for targeted behavioural advertising to children.
17. Storage and International Processing
Pravaha may use cloud-based, communication, productivity, video-conferencing, hosting, or storage services whose infrastructure is located in India or other countries.
As a result, personal information may in some circumstances be stored or processed outside India.
Where this occurs, Pravaha will seek to use reputable service providers and process information in accordance with applicable Indian law, including any applicable restrictions on international transfers of personal data.
18. Your Rights
Subject to applicable law and any relevant exceptions, individuals may contact Pravaha to request:
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information about personal data processed by Pravaha
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access to personal information relating to them
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correction of inaccurate information
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completion or updating of incomplete or outdated information
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erasure of personal information where applicable
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withdrawal of consent where processing is based on consent
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cessation of optional future communications
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resolution of a concern or grievance concerning the use of personal information
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nomination of another individual to exercise applicable rights in circumstances provided by law
Where a request relates to a child, Pravaha will deal with the parent or lawful guardian in accordance with applicable law and the relevant consent arrangements.
Pravaha may need to verify the identity or authority of a person making a request before acting on it.
Certain requests may be declined or limited where retention or continued processing is required or permitted by law, safeguarding obligations, contractual obligations, dispute resolution, legal claims, or other legitimate and lawful requirements.
Requests may be sent to info@pravaha.in.
19. Third-Party Websites and Links
The Pravaha website, communications, or program materials may contain links to third-party websites, platforms, services, or resources.
Pravaha does not control the privacy practices of independent third parties.
A link from Pravaha does not mean that the third party’s privacy practices are governed by this Policy.
Individuals should review the privacy policy of the relevant third party before providing personal information to it.
20. No Sale or Rental of Personal Information
Pravaha does not sell or rent personal information.
We do not provide children’s personal information to third parties for targeted advertising or behavioural advertising.
Sharing necessary for program delivery, technology services, safety, logistics, institutional collaboration, or legal compliance is not treated as a sale or rental of personal information.
21. Privacy Enquiries and Grievances
Questions, requests, complaints, consent withdrawals, or concerns regarding this Privacy Policy or Pravaha’s handling of personal information may be sent to:
Pravaha Foundation
4th Floor, Vamsiram Jyothi Arena
MCH No. 8-2-120/86/2
Venkat Nagar, Banjara Hills
Hyderabad – 500034
Telangana, India
Email: info@pravaha.in
We will make reasonable efforts to review and respond to privacy-related requests and grievances within an appropriate period and in accordance with applicable law.
22. Changes to this Privacy Policy
Pravaha may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect:
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changes in law or regulation
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changes in our programs
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changes in technology or service providers
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changes in how we collect or use personal information
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improvements to our privacy practices
The updated version will be published on www.pravaha.in with a revised ‘Last updated’ date.
Where a change materially affects an existing consent or materially changes how personal information is used, Pravaha will seek additional consent or provide additional notice where required by applicable law.