e-Shakti App – Terms of Use

Last Updated: 6th January 2026

These Terms of Use (“Terms”) govern your access to and use of the e-Shakti mobile application (“App”). The App is provided exclusively as part of an academic research project. By installing, registering, or using the App, you agree to be bound by these Terms. If you do not agree, you must discontinue use.

1. Purpose and Nature of the App

e-Shakti is a wellbeing and mindfulness application designed to function as a research tool. The App supports an academic study of wellbeing outcomes through:

  • Journaling tools
  • Guided content and soundtracks
  • Wellbeing practices and exercises
  • Notifications and reminders
  • Mandatory participation in research questionnaires during onboarding

The App is not a general consumer wellness application, is not a medical device, does not diagnose conditions, and does not replace professional mental health care.

2. Eligibility

You must be:

  • At least 18 years old, or
  • Using the App under supervision as part of a guided, institutional, or academic research program

If you are under 18, you must have permission from a parent, guardian, or authorised program supervisor.

3. Account Registration

To access the App, you must create an account using Firebase Authentication.

You agree to:

  • Provide accurate and complete information (name, email address, phone number)
  • Use the same email address for account registration and required research questionnaires
  • Keep your login credentials secure
  • Not share your account with others

You are responsible for all activity conducted under your account.

4. Acceptable Use

You agree not to:

  • Use the App for unlawful, harmful, or abusive purposes
  • Attempt to access accounts or data that do not belong to you
  • Upload or write content that is abusive, defamatory, threatening, or illegal
  • Reverse engineer, copy, modify, or exploit any part of the App
  • Interfere with the App’s functionality, security, or infrastructure
  • Use automated systems (bots, scripts) to access the App

Violation of these rules may result in suspension or termination of your account.

5. Journaling Content (User Responsibility)

You may create free-text journal entries within the App. You agree not to include:

  • Passwords, OTPs, or authentication credentials
  • Financial or banking information
  • Government-issued identification numbers (Aadhaar, PAN, etc.)
  • Personal data of other individuals
  • Highly sensitive medical or clinical information

Journal entries are private to your account and are not shared with the research team or used for research analysis.

6. Intellectual Property

All content within the App — including guided meditations, soundtracks, is the intellectual property of Malhar Kedar Bakshi and/or collaborators where mentioned.

You are granted a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable, and revocable license to access and use the content solely for personal use within the App.

You may not copy, reproduce, distribute, upload, commercially exploit, or create derivative works from the App content without prior written permission.

7. Research Participation (Mandatory)

The e-Shakti App is designed and provided exclusively as a research tool to support an academic wellbeing study. It is not a general consumer wellness application.

Use of the App is entirely voluntary. However, because the App exists solely for research purposes, access to and use of the App is available only to users who voluntarily consent to participate in the associated research study.

By choosing to register for and use the App, you acknowledge and agree that:

  • You are voluntarily participating in the e-Shakti research study
  • You are aware of the nature and purpose of the research
  • You consent to the collection and use of your responses for academic research purposes

To enable research evaluation, users are required to complete the designated general and pre-evaluation questionnaires during onboarding, and post evaluation after 15 days (or as otherwise instructed).

The App will remain inaccessible until the required research forms are completed.

For research purposes:

  • Your email address is used solely for pre- and post-evaluation matching
  • Questionnaire data is pseudonymous at the time of collection
  • After matching, data is de-identified or anonymised for analysis
  • Research findings are published only in aggregated or anonymised form
  • Your identity is never disclosed in research outputs
  • Journal entries are excluded from research access and analysis

If you do not wish to participate in the research component, you must not register or use the App.

8. Push Notifications

The App uses OneSignal to send essential notifications related to App usage and research participation.

You may disable notifications at any time through your device settings.

No third-party advertising is delivered through notifications.

9. Third-Party Services

The App relies on third-party services, including:

  • Firebase Authentication
  • Firebase Firestore
  • Firebase Analytics
  • OneSignal

Use of the App is also subject to the terms and privacy policies of these providers.

10. No Medical or Emergency Support

The App does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, treatment, or emergency services.

If you are experiencing distress or require medical or psychological assistance, please contact local emergency services or a licensed professional.

11. Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law:

  • The App is provided “as is” and “as available”
  • We do not guarantee uninterrupted or error-free operation
  • We are not liable for decisions or outcomes arising from App usage
  • We are not responsible for device, network, or third-party service failures

Use of the App is at your own risk.

12. Account Suspension or Termination

We may suspend or terminate your account if you:

  • Violate these Terms
  • Misuse the App or its content
  • Attempt to compromise App security or data integrity
  • Are required to be restricted under legal or institutional obligations

You may delete your account at any time.

13. Data and Privacy

Your data is processed in accordance with the e-Shakti Privacy Policy, which forms an integral part of these Terms. By using the App, you also agree to our Privacy Policy.

14. Changes to the Terms

We may update these Terms as the research project, App features, or legal requirements evolve. Continued use of the App constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms.

15. Governing Law

These Terms are governed by the laws of India, unless otherwise required by applicable law.

16. Contact Us

For questions or support:

📧 developer.malhar@gmail.com