1. Overview & Commitment

Chougule Sewing Machine ("we", "our", or "our shop"), established in 1991 in Gokak, Karnataka, is committed to safeguarding the privacy and personal data of our customers, website visitors, and tailoring partners. This Privacy Policy outlines how we collect, process, store, and protect your information when you visit our website or interact with our workshop services.

2. Information We Collect

We collect only the minimal information strictly required to respond to your machine inquiries and deliver precision repair services:

• Customer Identity & Contact: Your name, phone number, and tailoring unit or boutique name when submitted through our inquiry form or direct hotline.
• Machine & Service Details: Model preferences (e.g. Usha, Jack, Sony Overlock, Durby, or Chougule Flagship), reported mechanical issues, stitch requirements, or trade-in inquiries.
• WhatsApp Communication: Inquiries dispatched via the WhatsApp interface are encrypted end-to-end between your device and our workshop phone (+91 97672 72550).
• Technical Log Data: Minimal server access logs (browser type, timestamp) used strictly for performance monitoring, CWV optimization, and security defense.

3. Legal Grounds for Processing (DPDP Act 2023)

In accordance with the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 (India), your personal data is processed solely under the lawful basis of:

• Consent: Explicitly granted when you submit an inquiry form or call our shop.
• Legitimate Uses: Fulfilling machine orders, warranty registrations, in-shop repairs, and service communications requested by you.

4. Zero Third-Party Commercial Sale

5. Cookies & Local Storage

Our website uses only essential session state and lightweight local storage cookies to remember your display preferences (such as selected Machine Finder categories and cookie consent status). We do not deploy invasive third-party cross-site trackers.

6. Your Rights Under Indian Law

As a data principal, you have the right to:

• Request access to the personal data we hold regarding your machine purchases and repair history.
• Request correction or deletion of outdated contact information.
• Withdraw consent for future service reminders or promotional notices at any time.

7. Designated Grievance Redressal Officer (DPDP Act 2023)

In compliance with Section 8 of the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, we have appointed a dedicated Grievance Officer for prompt resolution of privacy concerns, data principal requests, or consent revocations:

8. Children's Data Protection (No Sign-Up Required)

Our website is purely an informational digital showcase for our physical Gokak workshop. No user registration or account creation is required to use any feature of this website.

We do not knowingly solicit, collect, or process personal data from individuals under 18 years of age. Any machinery inquiries concerning minors or young tailoring apprentices must be initiated with verifiable parental or legal guardian supervision.

9. Data Security, Retention & Right to Erasure

We employ industry-standard 256-bit SSL encryption across all website interactions. In accordance with the DPDP Act 2023:

• Retention Policy: Customer inquiry numbers and machine repair records are retained strictly during active service and statutory warranty lifecycles, after which they are securely deleted.
• Right to Erasure (Data Delete Karne Ke Niyam): You may at any time request the permanent deletion of your phone number and inquiry log by messaging our Grievance Officer at +91 97672 72550.
• Breach Notification: In the unlikely event of any data security breach, we maintain protocols to immediately inform the Data Protection Board of India and affected data principals.