Terms of Service

Terms governing your use of sankar.studio

Terms of Service

Last Updated: March 19, 2026 Effective Date: March 19, 2026
Website: sankar.studio

1. Acceptance of Terms

Welcome to sankar.studio (the "Site"), the personal portfolio website of Sankar Balasubramanian ("I," "me," or "my"). By accessing, browsing, or using this Site, you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service ("Terms"). If you do not agree to these Terms, please do not use the Site.

These Terms are governed by the laws of India. Your use of the Site constitutes your acceptance of these Terms and your agreement to comply with applicable Indian laws.

2. Description of the Site

The Site is a personal portfolio and professional showcase that includes:

  • Information about my background, projects, research, and work
  • Links to external projects, applications, and resources
  • A contact mechanism (email)
  • The SankarAI chat assistant (powered by third-party AI APIs)
  • Blog posts, gallery, and other content

The Site is provided for informational and professional networking purposes only. It is not a commercial platform, and I do not sell products or services through this Site.

3. Use of the Site

3.1 Permitted Use

You may use the Site for:

  • Viewing and reading content
  • Learning about my work and projects
  • Contacting me for professional or collaborative inquiries
  • Using the SankarAI assistant for general questions (subject to its limitations)

3.2 Prohibited Use

You agree not to:

  • Use the Site for any unlawful purpose or in violation of any applicable law
  • Attempt to gain unauthorized access to the Site, its servers, or any connected systems
  • Transmit viruses, malware, or any harmful code
  • Scrape, harvest, or collect data from the Site without permission
  • Use automated systems (e.g., bots) to access the Site in a manner that disrupts or overloads it
  • Impersonate any person or entity or misrepresent your affiliation
  • Use the SankarAI assistant to generate harmful, illegal, or inappropriate content
  • Infringe on my or any third party's intellectual property rights

Violation of these provisions may result in termination of your access and, where appropriate, referral to law enforcement.

4. Intellectual Property

All content on the Site—including but not limited to text, images, graphics, logos, designs, code, and layout—is owned by Sankar Balasubramanian or used with permission. All rights are reserved.

You may not:

  • Copy, reproduce, or distribute Site content without prior written permission
  • Modify, adapt, or create derivative works from the content
  • Use the content for commercial purposes without authorization

Fair use under Indian copyright law (e.g., for criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, or research) may apply in limited circumstances. If you wish to use any content, please contact me at sankarb@iisc.ac.in.

5. Third-Party Links and Services

The Site contains links to third-party websites, applications, and services (e.g., LinkedIn, GitHub, external project demos). I do not control these third parties and am not responsible for their content, privacy practices, or terms of use. Your use of third-party services is at your own risk.

The SankarAI assistant relies on third-party AI APIs. I do not control how those providers process or retain data. Please refer to their respective terms and privacy policies.

6. Disclaimer of Warranties

THE SITE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE" WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED.

To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, I disclaim all warranties, including but not limited to:

  • Merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose
  • Accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any content
  • Non-infringement of third-party rights
  • Uninterrupted or error-free operation

I do not warrant that the Site will be secure, virus-free, or free from harmful components. You use the Site at your own risk.

7. Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law:

  • I shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages arising from your use of or inability to use the Site.
  • My total liability for any claims related to the Site shall not exceed the amount you paid to use the Site (which is zero, as the Site is free to access).
  • I am not liable for any loss or damage resulting from:
    • Your reliance on Site content
    • Third-party conduct or content
    • Unauthorized access to your data or communications
    • Interruptions, errors, or omissions in the Site
    • Use of the SankarAI assistant or any AI-generated content

Some jurisdictions do not allow the exclusion or limitation of certain warranties or liabilities. In such cases, the above limitations apply to the fullest extent permitted by law.

8. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Sankar Balasubramanian from and against any claims, damages, losses, liabilities, costs, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising from:

  • Your use of the Site
  • Your violation of these Terms
  • Your violation of any third-party rights
  • Any content or data you submit or transmit through the Site

9. SankarAI Assistant

The SankarAI chat assistant is provided for convenience and informational purposes. By using it, you acknowledge that:

  • Responses are generated by third-party AI and may be inaccurate, incomplete, or outdated
  • I do not endorse or guarantee the accuracy of AI-generated content
  • You should not rely on it for critical decisions (legal, medical, financial, etc.)
  • Conversations are sent to external APIs and are not stored by me (see Privacy Policy)
  • I may modify, suspend, or discontinue the assistant at any time without notice

10. Modifications to the Site and Terms

I reserve the right to:

  • Modify, suspend, or discontinue the Site or any part of it at any time
  • Update these Terms from time to time

Material changes to the Terms will be indicated by updating the "Last Updated" date at the top. Your continued use of the Site after such changes constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms. I encourage you to review this page periodically.

11. Termination

I may terminate or restrict your access to the Site, without prior notice, for any reason, including if I believe you have violated these Terms. Upon termination, your right to use the Site ceases immediately.

12. Governing Law and Dispute Resolution

  • Governing Law: These Terms are governed by the laws of India, without regard to conflict of law principles.
  • Jurisdiction: Any dispute arising from these Terms or the Site shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts in Bangalore, Karnataka, India.
  • Informal Resolution: Before initiating any legal proceeding, you agree to contact me at sankarb@iisc.ac.in to attempt to resolve the dispute informally.

13. Severability

If any provision of these Terms is held to be invalid or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, the remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect.

14. Entire Agreement

These Terms, together with the Privacy Policy, constitute the entire agreement between you and me regarding the Site and supersede any prior agreements or understandings.

15. Contact

For questions about these Terms of Service, please contact:

Sankar Balasubramanian
Email: sankarb@iisc.ac.in
Website: sankar.studio

These Terms of Service are provided for informational purposes and do not constitute legal advice. You may wish to consult a legal professional for advice specific to your situation.