VATAN Privacy Policy

Last Updated: 13 August 2026

1. Introduction

VATAN (“VATAN”, “we”, “our”, or “us”) is a community-based platform that helps people discover and connect with home cooks and food providers offering home-cooked meals.

VATAN connects Travelers with Hosts who choose to share meals and connect with people from their community.

This Privacy Policy explains what personal information VATAN collects, how we use it, when it may be shared, how we protect it, and how you can request deletion of your account and associated data.

VATAN is intended for users aged 18 and above.

By creating an account or using VATAN, you acknowledge this Privacy Policy.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information You Provide

Depending on how you use VATAN, we may collect:

• Your full name

• Mobile phone number

• City or location information

• Community and sub-community information

• Traveler or Host role

• Food preferences, including vegetarian or non-vegetarian preference

• Meal information you choose to post, such as dish name, number of plates, pickup time and pickup location

• Information you provide when contacting VATAN Support

• Information you voluntarily provide when reporting abuse, safety concerns or other issues

2.2 Information Related to Your VATAN Activity

When you use VATAN, information associated with your account may include:

• Your profile information

• Community information

• Meal listings you create

• Information connected with meals you request or explore

• Reports or other information you voluntarily submit to VATAN

2.3 Authentication Information

VATAN uses mobile phone verification and one-time passwords (OTPs) to authenticate users.

Your mobile number and information required to send or verify an OTP may be processed through our authentication and communications service providers.

3. Location Information

VATAN uses location and city information to help provide community-based and local meal discovery.

We use location information for purposes such as:

• Showing relevant meals in or around a user's selected city

• Helping Hosts identify the location where a meal is available

• Helping Travelers discover meals based on location

VATAN does not require or display a user's precise residential address as a public profile detail.

4. How We Use Your Information

We use information to:

• Create and manage your VATAN account

• Authenticate your account using your mobile number

• Connect Travelers and Hosts based on community and location

• Display relevant meal listings

• Allow Hosts to post meals

• Allow Travelers to discover available meals

• Support communication between users where the user chooses to use available contact options

• Respond to customer support requests

• Investigate reports of abuse, unsafe behaviour or other violations

• Maintain the security and integrity of VATAN

• Prevent fraud, misuse and harmful activity

• Comply with applicable laws and legal obligations

• Enforce our Terms & Conditions, Community Guidelines and other VATAN policies

We do not sell your personal information.

We do not use personal information for automated decision-making that produces legal or similarly significant effects without appropriate human involvement.

5. Information Visible to Other VATAN Users

Some information is displayed to other users so that VATAN can function as a community platform.

Depending on your role and activity, this may include:

• Your name

• Traveler or Host role

• Community or sub-community

• General city/location information

• Meal listings that you choose to post

• Food preferences associated with your profile or meal

You should only provide information that you are comfortable sharing with other VATAN users.

6. Direct Contact Between Users

VATAN provides options that may allow a Traveler and Host to contact each other directly, including phone or WhatsApp.

When you voluntarily use such a contact option, you may be taken to an external communication service such as your phone application or WhatsApp.

Once communication takes place outside VATAN, that communication is governed by the privacy policies and terms of the relevant third-party service.

VATAN does not control the information you voluntarily share directly with another user outside the Platform.

7. Third-Party Service Providers

VATAN may use third-party service providers that help us operate essential parts of the Platform, such as:

• Cloud and backend infrastructure

• Authentication and OTP services

• Communications services

• Technical and security services

These providers may process information on our behalf and are expected to use it only as necessary to provide the relevant service and maintain appropriate security.

For OTP and authentication services, your mobile number and related authentication information may be processed by the provider used by VATAN.

8. Future Features

VATAN may introduce additional features in future versions, such as ratings and reviews, in-app communication, meal scheduling or payments.

When new features are introduced that involve additional collection, use or sharing of personal information, this Privacy Policy and our Google Play disclosures may be updated as appropriate.

The existence of a future feature in the app interface does not mean that the feature is currently active.

9. Data Security

We take reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect personal information against unauthorized access, misuse, loss or disclosure.

We use appropriate security measures for information transmitted between the app and our services.

However, no online service can guarantee absolute security.

You are also responsible for keeping your account information and authentication credentials secure and for exercising care when sharing information with other users.

10. Data Retention

We retain personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes described in this Privacy Policy.

Account information is generally retained while your account remains active.

When you delete your account, VATAN will delete the account and associated personal data that we are not required or permitted to retain.

In limited circumstances, certain information may need to be retained for a reasonable period where necessary to:

• Comply with legal or regulatory obligations

• Resolve disputes

• Investigate fraud, abuse or safety issues

• Protect the rights and safety of VATAN, our users or others

Where information must be retained for these reasons, it will be retained only for as long as reasonably necessary for that purpose and then deleted or anonymised where appropriate.

11. Account Deletion

VATAN provides users with an account deletion option inside the app.

The option is available in the user's Profile area under the account settings / Danger Zone section.

When an account deletion request is completed, VATAN deletes the user's account and associated personal information, subject to limited retention where required for legitimate legal, security, fraud-prevention or regulatory purposes as described in this Privacy Policy.

External Account Deletion Request

Users may also request deletion of their VATAN account and associated personal data through our external account-deletion page:

https://sites.google.com/view/deletevatan/home?authuser=4

The external deletion page should identify VATAN clearly and provide a straightforward way for users to submit an account-deletion request.

12. Your Rights

Depending on where you live, you may have rights concerning your personal information, including rights to:

• Request access to personal information we hold about you

• Request correction of inaccurate information

• Request deletion of your personal information

• Withdraw consent where processing is based on consent

• Object to or restrict certain processing

• Make a complaint to an applicable data protection authority

These rights are subject to applicable law and may be limited in certain circumstances.

To exercise your rights, contact:

VATAN Support / Data Protection Queries
Email: vatanconnect@gmail.com

We may need to verify your identity before processing certain requests.

13. Children's Privacy

VATAN is intended for people aged 18 and above.

We do not knowingly allow children under 18 to create or maintain VATAN accounts.

If we become aware that a person under 18 has provided personal information to VATAN, we will take reasonable steps to delete that information.

Parents or guardians who believe that a minor has provided information to VATAN may contact us at the email address below.

14. Community Safety and User Responsibility

VATAN is a platform that facilitates connections between Travelers and Hosts.

VATAN does not prepare, sell, inspect or deliver food on behalf of Hosts and does not guarantee the quality, safety, hygiene or suitability of food shared by individual Hosts.

Users are responsible for making informed decisions about meals, food preferences, allergies, dietary requirements, meeting arrangements and information they choose to share with other users.

Users should follow applicable local laws and food-safety requirements.

Any offline meeting, meal collection or food-sharing arrangement is undertaken voluntarily and at the users' own discretion and responsibility.

15. Policy Changes

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time.

When we make material changes, we may provide notice through the app, our website or another appropriate communication channel.

The updated Privacy Policy will include a revised “Last Updated” date.

16. Contact Us

For privacy questions, account deletion requests, data requests or complaints:

VATAN Support / Data Protection Queries
Email: vatanconnect@gmail.com
Address: 820, Bhavani Peth, Pune 411042, Maharashtra, India

VATAN – Ghar Ka Khana, Globally.