Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

The Athena Alumni Network is operated by Athena Global Schools, an educational institution with campuses in Chidambaram, Chengalpattu, and Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. This privacy policy explains how we collect, use, store, and protect personal information submitted by alumni, students, and visitors who use the Athena Alumni Network portal. We are committed to handling your data responsibly and transparently, and we have aligned our practices with internationally recognised data protection principles, including those set out in the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), even where not strictly required by Indian law.

By registering on or using the Athena Alumni Network portal, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this privacy policy. If you do not agree with any part of this policy, please do not create an account or submit information through the portal.

2. What Data We Collect

When you register for the Athena Alumni Network, we collect personal information that you provide directly. This includes your full name, email address, phone number, the Athena campus you attended, your batch or graduating year, and a password for your account. During the registration process, you may also choose to provide additional details such as your current city, profession, employer, higher education institution, degree, and a short personal biography.

If you use features such as the alumni directory, mentor connect, volunteer interest forms, contact forms, or story submissions, we collect the information you enter in those forms. This may include career details, mentorship preferences, volunteer availability, messages, and any other content you choose to share.

We also collect certain technical information automatically when you visit the portal, such as your browser type, device type, and general geographic location derived from your IP address. This information is used solely for improving the portal experience and is not linked to your personal identity.

3. How We Use Your Data

The personal information we collect is used to operate and improve the Athena Alumni Network. Specifically, we use your data to create and maintain your alumni profile, to enable you to connect with fellow alumni through the directory and mentor connect features, and to facilitate your participation in events, volunteer activities, and career opportunities shared on the portal.

We may use your email address to send you important updates about the alumni network, including event invitations, network announcements, and new feature notifications. We do not send unsolicited marketing emails from third parties, and you may opt out of non-essential communications at any time by contacting us.

Aggregate and anonymised data, such as the total number of registered alumni per branch or the most common professions among graduates, may be used internally for school reporting and to improve the alumni experience. This aggregate data does not identify you personally.

4. Data Storage and Security

Your data is stored securely using Supabase, a cloud-based database platform that provides enterprise-grade security features including encryption at rest and in transit, row-level security policies, and regular automated backups. Supabase infrastructure is hosted on reputable cloud providers with data centres that comply with international security standards.

User passwords are never stored in plain text. They are hashed using industry-standard cryptographic algorithms before being saved. Authentication is handled through Supabase Auth, which manages secure session tokens and password recovery flows.

While we take all reasonable precautions to protect your data, no system connected to the internet can guarantee absolute security. We encourage you to use a strong, unique password for your alumni account and to keep your login credentials confidential.

5. Profile Visibility

When you create an alumni profile, certain information is visible to other registered alumni through the alumni directory. By default, your name, branch, batch year, current city, and profession are displayed in directory search results. Your email address, phone number, and full biography are shared only when you choose to make them visible in your profile settings.

You have full control over what information appears on your public profile. You may update your visibility preferences at any time through the profile settings page. If you wish to be completely unlisted from the directory, you may contact us and we will remove your profile from public search results while keeping your account active.

6. Third-Party Services

The Athena Alumni Network uses a small number of third-party services to operate. Supabase provides our database, authentication, and file storage infrastructure. Google Fonts is used to load the typeface displayed on the portal. These services may process limited technical data, such as your IP address, as part of delivering their functionality.

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to any third party. We do not use third-party advertising networks on the alumni portal. We do not share your personal data with external organisations unless required by law or with your explicit consent.

7. Your Rights

You have the right to access the personal data we hold about you at any time. You may request a copy of your data by writing to us at the contact address provided below. You also have the right to correct any inaccurate or incomplete information in your profile, which you can do directly through the portal or by contacting us.

You may request the deletion of your account and all associated personal data. Upon receiving such a request, we will permanently remove your information from our active systems within thirty days, except where retention is required by law or for legitimate administrative purposes such as maintaining graduation records.

If you believe that your data has been processed in a manner that violates your rights, you may raise a concern with us directly. We take all such concerns seriously and will investigate and respond promptly.

8. Data Retention

We retain your personal data for as long as your alumni account remains active. If you request account deletion, your personal data will be removed from our active database within thirty days of the request. Certain anonymised or aggregate data derived from your participation, such as batch-level statistics, may be retained indefinitely as it does not identify you personally.

Messages submitted through the contact form and volunteer interest forms are retained for a period of two years from the date of submission, after which they are automatically purged from our systems unless they relate to an ongoing matter or commitment.

9. Cookies

The Athena Alumni Network uses essential cookies to manage your authentication session. These cookies are necessary for the portal to function correctly and cannot be disabled without losing access to authenticated features such as your profile, the alumni directory, and mentor connect.

We do not use tracking cookies, advertising cookies, or analytics cookies that profile your browsing behaviour across other websites. We do not use any third-party cookie-based tracking or retargeting services on the alumni portal.

10. Children's Privacy

The Athena Alumni Network is designed for former students who have completed their schooling at an Athena campus. While many of our alumni are young adults, the portal is not intended for use by children under the age of thirteen. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under thirteen. If we become aware that a child under thirteen has submitted personal information to us, we will take steps to delete that information promptly.

For alumni who are between the ages of thirteen and eighteen, we encourage parental awareness and involvement. Parents or guardians may contact us at any time to review, modify, or delete information associated with a minor's account.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this privacy policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, the portal's features, or applicable regulations. When we make material changes, we will update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this page and, where appropriate, notify registered alumni by email. We encourage you to review this page periodically to stay informed about how we are protecting your data.

Continued use of the Athena Alumni Network after changes to this policy constitutes your acceptance of the updated terms. If you disagree with any changes, you may request account deletion at any time.

12. Contact

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this privacy policy or how your personal data is handled, please contact us at alumni@athena.edu.in. You may also write to us at the administrative office of Athena Global Schools, Chidambaram, Cuddalore District, Tamil Nadu 608 001, India. We will respond to all privacy-related enquiries within fifteen working days.