Privacy Policy & Terms of Use

1. Scope

This policy applies to visitors to this website and to anyone who submits a form, subscribes to the newsletter, or contacts us through it.

Where a participant is a minor, we deal with a parent or guardian.

2. Information collected

We collect the information you enter into a form and submit. Depending on the form, this is your name, email address, telephone number, and the content of your message.

We do not collect:

• Payment card or bank details
• Identity document numbers
• Health or medical information

3. Use of information

Information is used to respond to your enquiry, to process an application, and to send the newsletter where you have subscribed.

We do not sell, rent, or otherwise disclose your information for third-party marketing.

4. Disclosure

Information is accessible to those within SPARS Foundation who require it for the purpose it was provided, and to the service providers that host this website and handle our email.

We may disclose information where required by law, or to prevent harm.

5. Retention

Enquiries are retained while they are being handled and for a reasonable period afterwards. Newsletter subscriptions are retained until you unsubscribe.

You may request earlier deletion.

6. Security

Form submissions are encrypted at rest. Access is restricted. This website is served over an encrypted connection.

No method of transmission or storage is completely secure.

7. Cookies

This website uses cookies and similar technologies. They may be used for purposes such as operating the website, maintaining sessions, security, remembering preferences, and understanding how the website is used.

Cookies may be set by us or by services used to provide this website. Cookies can be managed or disabled through your browser settings. Parts of the website may not function as intended if they are disabled.

8. Children

This website is not directed at children. Enquiries concerning a child should be made by a parent or guardian.

9. External links

This website links to external sites and embeds media hosted elsewhere. This policy does not apply to those sites.

10. Your requests

You may request access to the information we hold about you, request its correction, or request its deletion.

Newsletter subscriptions may be cancelled using the link in any newsletter, or on request.

11. Amendment

This policy may be amended. The date of the current version is shown at the top of this page.

12. Contact

Requests and questions relating to this policy should be sent to contact@sparsfoundation.com.

1. About SPARS Foundation

SPARS Foundation is a non-profit Society, registered under Society Registration No. 443 of 2015 with the Registrar of Societies, Telangana, holding tax-exemption registration under Sections 12A/12AB (Unique Registration Number AANAS1652AE20241) and 80G (Unique Registration Number AANAS1652AF20241) of the Income Tax Act, 1961, based in Secunderabad, Telangana, India, dedicated to developing young table tennis talent through structured coaching, values, and opportunity pathways.

2. Definitions

• "SPARS", "we", "us", or "our" means SPARS Foundation.
• "You" or "user" means any person who visits or uses this website.
• "Donor" means any person or entity making a voluntary contribution to SPARS Foundation.

3. Acceptable Use

You agree to use this website only for lawful purposes. You must not attempt to gain unauthorised access to any part of this website or its underlying systems, interfere with its normal operation, or submit false, misleading, or malicious information through any of our forms.

4. Intellectual Property

All content on this website — including text, images, video, our logo, and design — is the property of SPARS Foundation or is used with permission, and is protected by applicable intellectual property law. You may view and share content from this website for personal, non-commercial purposes, but may not reproduce, modify, or distribute it for commercial purposes without our prior written consent.

5. Donations, Receipts, and Tax Benefits

Donations to SPARS Foundation, whether by bank transfer or other methods described on our Support page, are voluntary contributions used to further our stated mission. Eligibility for tax-deduction receipts, and the specific terms applicable to donations, are set out in full in the "Donation Eligibility & Tax Benefits" section of this document, which forms part of these Terms.

6. Volunteer Applications and Submitted Information

By submitting a volunteer application, contact message, or newsletter subscription, you confirm that the information you provide is accurate to the best of your knowledge. Submitting a form does not guarantee acceptance as a volunteer, a response within any specific timeframe, or any particular outcome — we aim to respond to genuine inquiries as promptly as we reasonably can.

7. Third-Party Links and Embedded Content

This website may include links to third-party websites (such as our social media pages) or embed third-party content (such as a Google Maps location or YouTube/Vimeo videos). We are not responsible for the content, privacy practices, or availability of any third-party website or service.

8. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless SPARS Foundation, its trustees/directors, staff, and volunteers from and against any claim, liability, loss, or expense (including reasonable legal fees) arising out of your misuse of this website, your breach of these Terms, or your violation of any applicable law.

9. Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, SPARS Foundation shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, or consequential loss or damage arising out of your use of, or inability to use, this website — including, without limitation, loss of data, loss of an expected tax benefit due to a donor's own non-compliance with the conditions described in "Donation Eligibility & Tax Benefits", or reliance on any impact figures or testimonials published on this website (see Disclaimer).

10. Force Majeure

SPARS Foundation shall not be liable for any failure or delay in performing its obligations under these Terms where such failure or delay results from causes beyond its reasonable control, including natural disaster, act of government, internet or telecommunications failure, or other event of force majeure.

11. Governing Law and Jurisdiction

These Terms, this Privacy Policy, the Disclaimer, and the Donation Eligibility & Tax Benefits section are governed by the laws of India. The parties shall first attempt to resolve any dispute arising in connection with them amicably through good-faith discussion; failing that, the dispute shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts having jurisdiction over Hyderabad/Secunderabad, Telangana.

12. Severability

If any provision of these Terms is found to be invalid or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, that provision shall be limited or eliminated to the minimum extent necessary, and the remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect.

13. Entire Agreement

These Terms, together with the Privacy Policy, the Disclaimer, and the Donation Eligibility & Tax Benefits section, constitute the entire agreement between you and SPARS Foundation regarding your use of this website, and supersede any prior agreement or understanding on the same subject.

14. Changes to These Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time. Continued use of this website after any update constitutes your acceptance of the revised Terms.

15. Contact

Questions about these Terms can be directed to SPARS Foundation at contact@sparsfoundation.com.

1. General Disclaimer

This website and its content are provided "as is" and "as available", without warranties of any kind, express or implied. While we make reasonable efforts to keep information on this website accurate and up to date, we do not guarantee that it is complete, error-free, or uninterrupted at all times.

2. No Professional, Financial, or Tax Advice

Nothing on this website constitutes legal, financial, or tax advice. Statements about tax deductibility of donations (including under Section 80G of the Income Tax Act, 1961) describe SPARS Foundation's own registration status and are provided for general information only — they are not a guarantee of any specific tax outcome for any donor. Every donor's eligibility for, and the amount of, any tax deduction depends on their own individual circumstances and compliance with applicable law. Donors are strongly encouraged to consult their own tax advisor before claiming any deduction.

3. Testimonials, Photographs, and Impact Stories

Photographs, videos, testimonials, and impact stories published on this website are genuine and used with appropriate consent, but are illustrative of our work in general. They do not represent a guarantee of any specific outcome, result, or level of impact from any particular donation, sponsorship, or contribution.

4. Accuracy of Information

We take reasonable care to ensure that information published on this website (including program details, impact figures, and organisational information) is accurate at the time of publication, but this information may change over time and we do not warrant its continuing accuracy. Please contact us directly to confirm any information you intend to rely on.

5. External Links

This website may link to, or embed content from, third-party websites and services (including our social media pages, Google Maps, and YouTube/Vimeo videos). We do not control and are not responsible for the content, accuracy, or privacy practices of any third-party website or service.

1. Domestic Donations

SPARS Foundation accepts voluntary donations from resident Indian individuals and Indian entities, by bank transfer or such other methods described on our Support page.

2. Tax Deduction Eligibility Under Section 80G

SPARS Foundation holds registration under Section 80G of the Income Tax Act, 1961 (Unique Registration Number AANAS1652AF20241), which allows eligible donors to claim a deduction for donations made to SPARS Foundation, subject to the conditions of that registration and applicable law.

To claim a deduction, a donation must be made through a banking channel (cheque, demand draft, UPI, net banking, or other electronic mode) — under Section 80G(5D) of the Income Tax Act, a cash donation exceeding ₹2,000 is not eligible for deduction. We encourage all donors to use a traceable, non-cash payment method for this reason.

A donor must provide their full name, address, and PAN (Permanent Account Number) for us to issue a valid 80G receipt, and to report the donation correctly in our statutory Form 10BD filing, without which we cannot issue a Form 10BE certificate to the donor for their own tax filing. Until an online payment gateway (if introduced) collects these details at payment time, please email contact@sparsfoundation.com after donating with your full name, postal address, PAN, payment reference, amount, and date. SPARS Foundation will process the receipt and statutory reporting manually as soon as practicable after receiving complete details.

3. Anonymous Donations

Under Section 115BBC of the Income Tax Act, 1961, donations received without a record of the donor's identity ("anonymous donations") may be taxed at a specified rate in the hands of the recipient organisation, subject to certain exemptions. To support compliance with this provision, and to allow us to issue valid 80G receipts, we request identifying donor information as described in Section 2 above, and reserve the right to decline to process a donation where we are unable to record the donor's identity.

4. Foreign Contributions Are Not Accepted

SPARS Foundation does not hold registration under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010 (FCRA), and does not currently intend to seek such registration. Accordingly, SPARS Foundation does not accept contributions from foreign sources — including from foreign nationals, foreign companies or organisations, or funds otherwise originating from a foreign source — through this website or any other channel at this time. All donations accepted by SPARS Foundation are domestic donations as described in Section 1 above.

If you are unsure whether your intended contribution would be treated as originating from a foreign source, please contact us before making any payment.

5. Refunds and Cancellations

Donations made to SPARS Foundation are voluntary contributions and are generally non-refundable. Where a donor believes a payment was made in error (for example, a duplicate transaction or an incorrect amount), SPARS Foundation will review the matter on a case-by-case basis on written request to contact@sparsfoundation.com within 15 days of the transaction, and, where a genuine error is confirmed, will process an appropriate correction or refund by the original payment method.

6. Donor Declaration

By making a donation to SPARS Foundation, you confirm that the funds you are contributing are your own, or that you are otherwise authorised to contribute them, and that your donation is a genuine domestic contribution as described in Section 1 above.