Privacy Policy

Introduction

Karighar India ("we," "us," "our," or "the platform") connects customers with skilled karighars (tradespeople and service providers) across India. This Privacy Policy explains what personal information we collect when you use our website and app, why we collect it, how we use and protect it, and the choices and rights you have over it.

This policy applies to everyone who uses Karighar India — customers looking to hire, karighars offering their services, and visitors browsing the site. By using the platform, you agree to the practices described here.

Information We Collect

We collect information in three ways: what you give us directly (like your name and mobile number when you sign up), what we collect automatically as you use the platform (like device and usage data), and what we receive from third parties (like verification results from an ID-checking service).

• Information you provide: name, mobile number, email, password, location, profile details, photos, messages, and documents you upload.
• Automatically collected: device type, IP address, browser, pages viewed, search queries, and approximate location (city-level).
• From third parties: identity verification results, and if you sign in with Google or Apple, the basic profile details those services share with us.

How We Use Information

We use your information to operate, secure, and improve the marketplace — never to sell it. Specifically, we use it to:

• Create and manage your account, and verify your identity where required.
• Match customers with relevant karighars, and display profiles, ratings, and search results.
• Send OTPs, booking updates, and important account or safety notifications.
• Investigate reports, prevent fraud, and enforce our Trust & Safety guidelines.
• Understand how the platform is used, so we can fix problems and build better features.
• Meet legal and regulatory obligations applicable in India.

Account Information

When you create an account, we collect your full name, mobile number, email (optional for customers, required for karighars), and a securely hashed password — we never store your password in plain, readable text. Your role (customer or karighar) determines what additional information we collect, described below.

Vendor Information

Karighars additionally provide business details (business name, category, services, experience, service areas, languages, pricing, and availability), a profile photo or logo, portfolio images, and — for verification — a government ID and optional business documents (like a GST or trade licence number). Verification documents are kept private and are used only to confirm your identity and business legitimacy; they are never displayed publicly on your profile.

Customer Information

Customers provide their name, mobile number, location, and optionally an email and event preferences (like event type, date, budget range, and categories needed) to help us recommend relevant karighars. This personalization information is always optional and can be skipped or updated at any time.

Communication Data

Messages exchanged through the platform, including WhatsApp conversations initiated via Karighar India, may be logged for safety, dispute resolution, and quality purposes. Support conversations (via our contact form, email, or WhatsApp) are stored so our team can assist you and refer back to prior conversations.

Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar technologies to keep you signed in, remember your preferences, and understand how the platform is used, in order to improve performance. You can control cookies through your browser settings; disabling them may affect some features, like staying signed in.

Third-Party Services

We work with third-party providers to operate the platform — for example, cloud hosting, SMS/OTP delivery, identity verification, and analytics services. These providers only receive the information needed to perform their specific function, and are contractually required to protect it. We do not sell your personal information to advertisers or data brokers.

Data Security

We use industry-standard measures to protect your data, including encrypted connections (HTTPS/SSL) across the platform, hashed password storage, access controls limiting who can view sensitive information, and private, access-controlled storage for identity verification documents. No system is 100% immune to risk, but we work continuously to keep your information secure.

Data Retention

We retain your information for as long as your account is active, and for a reasonable period afterward to meet legal, accounting, or dispute-resolution requirements — typically [X months/years — to be confirmed with legal counsel]. Identity verification documents are retained only as long as necessary for verification and compliance purposes, then securely deleted.

User Rights

You have the right to access the personal information we hold about you, correct inaccurate details, request a copy of your data, and withdraw consent for optional data uses (like event personalization). To exercise any of these rights, contact us using the details below.

Account Deletion

You can request account deletion at any time by contacting privacy@karigharindia.com or through account settings once available. We will delete or anonymize your personal information within a reasonable period, except where we are required to retain certain records by law (for example, transaction records for tax purposes).

Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this policy as the platform evolves or as Indian data protection law changes. We'll update the "Last updated" date above, and for significant changes, we'll make a reasonable effort to notify you directly (for example, via email or an in-app notice).

Contact Information

Questions about this policy or how your data is handled can be sent to privacy@karigharindia.com, or through our Contact page. Our registered business details: [Legal entity name, registered address, CIN/registration number — placeholder].