Last updated: 1/10/2026

This Privacy Policy explains how personal information is collected, used, shared and protected when you visit indiabrainforum.org or contact India Brain Forum through the website.

India Brain Forum (IBF) is an initiative of Masthishkam Foundation, a not-for-profit company incorporated under Section 8 of the Companies Act, 2013, which operates this website. In this policy, “we”, “us” and “our” refer to Masthishkam Foundation acting through IBF. Our registered office is at No 30, 2nd cross, Terracon Residency layout, Kithganahalli, Bommasandra, Bangalore 560099.[IBF1]  [IBF1]Insert the registered office address from the company records before publication. If adding a CIN, use the incorporation certificate; the Section 8 license number is not the CIN.

Scope of this policy

This policy covers website enquiries, requests to collaborate, subscriptions and other interactions for which we are responsible. A research study, event, journal submission or partner programme may have a separate privacy notice explaining its particular data collection and responsibilities. Read that notice before participating. A linked external website is governed by its own privacy policy.

Information we collect and why

Depending on how you interact with us, we may process the following information:

Enquiries and collaboration requests: your name, email address, organisation, professional role, any telephone number you provide, and the contents of your message. We use these to respond and assess the request.

Subscriptions: your email address, name if requested, communication preferences and consent records. We use these to send the updates you request and manage your choices.

Event or programme participation, where offered: registration and attendance details, professional information, and any additional information identified in the registration notice. We use these to administer that activity.

Profiles and contributions: biographies, photographs, affiliations and material you provide for consideration or publication. We use these for the stated editorial or profile purpose, subject to agreed permissions.

Technical records: IP address, browser and device information, pages requested, timestamps, referring pages and error or security logs. These may be recorded by our website and hosting services to deliver pages, maintain security and diagnose faults.

We may also receive information from an event organiser or collaborating institution where it has a lawful basis to share it for a specified IBF activity. We use it for that activity and provide any additional notice required by law.

Your choices and permission

You can browse public pages without submitting an enquiry or subscribing. You may choose not to provide information, although we may be unable to respond to a request or register you for an activity without the necessary details. Our forms identify which fields are required. Where processing requires consent, we ask for it for the stated purpose. Simply visiting the website does not give us permission to send promotional messages, publish your profile or use your information for unrelated research. We may also process information without consent where applicable law permits or requires it.

You can unsubscribe from optional updates using the unsubscribe facility provided or by emailing us. We may still send messages needed to respond to your enquiry or administer an activity you have requested. If you withdraw consent, we stop the processing that depends on it, subject to lawful retention requirements. Withdrawal does not affect processing already lawfully carried out.

Cookies and embedded content

Cookies and similar technologies may be used to support website functions, remember preferences or understand use of the website. Embedded videos, social media content, registration tools and other external services may receive technical information when loaded or used, and may set their own cookies.

You can manage cookies through your browser settings and any preference controls provided on the website. Blocking cookies may affect some functions. Where consent is legally required for optional technologies, we obtain that consent before using them.

Event photographs and recordings

If an IBF event will be photographed or recorded, we explain the intended recording and publication arrangements in the event notice and obtain any necessary consent. That notice explains the choices available to participants. Contact us before the event if you have a concern. A general website visit or an event registration alone does not authorise every future use of your image or voice.

Health information and children

General website forms are not intended for medical consultations, patient records or identifiable research data. Please do not send these through an enquiry form or ordinary email. Any IBF activity that needs health or research information must provide a suitable collection process, a specific privacy notice and any required consent and ethics arrangements. The general website forms are intended for adults. We do not knowingly seek personal information from children under 18 through those forms. Activities involving children require separate arrangements, including parental or guardian involvement and consent where required by law. If you believe a child has supplied information through a general form, contact us so that we can review it and take appropriate action.

Storage security and retention

Information may be processed in India or in other countries where our service providers operate. Any overseas transfer is subject to applicable legal requirements and appropriate safeguards, including contractual protections where needed.

We use reasonable technical and organisational safeguards appropriate to the information, including access controls, secure transmission where appropriate and oversight of service providers. No system can guarantee absolute security. We assess suspected personal data breaches and notify affected people and authorities when required by applicable law.

We retain personal information only for as long as necessary for the purpose for which it was collected, including applicable record-keeping requirements and the handling of complaints or legal claims. We then delete it or anonymise it securely. Backup copies may remain until their normal deletion cycle and are restricted in the meantime. We may retain a minimal suppression record to honour an unsubscribe request. Ask us for information about the retention period relevant to your interaction.

Requests and complaints

You may contact us to request access to, or a summary of, your personal information, correction of inaccurate details, deletion where appropriate, or withdrawal of consent. We may need proportionate information to verify your identity. If a request cannot be met in full, we explain the reason, subject to legal restrictions. Statutory rights and any right to approach a regulator apply to the extent provided by the law in force.

For a privacy request or complaint, contact:

Privacy and Grievance Contact: Dr. Pravin Thomas
Organisation: Masthishkam Foundation, operating India Brain Forum
Email: pravin@masthishkam.foundation
Postal address: No 30, 2nd cross, Terracon Residency layout, Kithganahalli, Bommasandra, Bangalore 560099
Please use “IBF privacy request” or “IBF privacy complaint” in the subject line. We address grievances promptly and within one month of receipt, or within a shorter period where required by applicable law.

Updates to this policy

We may update this policy as our activities, website or legal obligations change. The date above identifies the latest version. For a material change affecting existing information, we provide additional notice and obtain fresh consent where required. A policy update does not by itself authorise an unrelated use of previously collected information.