diff --git a/distributor.go b/distributor.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..70381bd3b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/distributor.go
@@ -0,0 +1,93 @@
+package main
+
+import "strings"
+
+// distributor struct
+type Distributor struct {
+	Name            string
+	Includes        []string
+	Excludes        []string
+	SubDistributors map[string]*Distributor
+}
+
+// stores all thedistributors
+var distributors = make(map[string]*Distributor)
+
+// add a main distributor
+func AddDistributor(name string, includes, excludes []string) {
+	distributors[name] = &Distributor{
+		Name:            name,
+		Includes:        includes,
+		Excludes:        excludes,
+		SubDistributors: make(map[string]*Distributor),
+	}
+}
+
+// add a sub-distributor with parent validation
+func AddSubDistributor(parentName, subName string, includes, excludes []string) string {
+	parent, exists := distributors[parentName]
+	if !exists {
+		return "ERROR: Parent distributor not found"
+	}
+
+	// ensure sub-distributor does not override parent exclusions
+	for _, incl := range includes {
+		if isExcludedByParent(parent, incl) {
+			return "ERROR: Sub-distributor cannot include " + incl + " as it is excluded by parent."
+		}
+	}
+
+	// create and register the sub-distributor
+	subDistributor := &Distributor{
+		Name:            subName,
+		Includes:        includes,
+		Excludes:        excludes,
+		SubDistributors: make(map[string]*Distributor),
+	}
+
+	parent.SubDistributors[subName] = subDistributor
+	distributors[subName] = subDistributor
+
+	return "Sub-distributor " + subName + " added successfully."
+}
+
+// check if a parent or ancestor excluded a region
+func isExcludedByParent(distributor *Distributor, region string) bool {
+	// Direct exclusion check
+	for _, excl := range distributor.Excludes {
+		if strings.Contains(region, excl) {
+			return true
+		}
+	}
+
+	// recursively check if an ancestor excluded it
+	for _, parent := range distributors {
+		if parent.SubDistributors[distributor.Name] != nil {
+			if isExcludedByParent(parent, region) {
+				return true
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
+	return false
+}
+
+// check if a distributor is authorized to distribute in a location
+func CanDistribute(distributorName, location string) string {
+	dist, exists := distributors[distributorName]
+	if !exists {
+		return "Distributor not found"
+	}
+
+	if isExcludedByParent(dist, location) {
+		return "NO"
+	}
+
+	for _, incl := range dist.Includes {
+		if strings.Contains(location, incl) {
+			return "YES"
+		}
+	}
+
+	return "NO"
+}
diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..99b50fb7c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+module distributor_permission_checking
+
+go 1.24.1
diff --git a/location.go b/location.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..733c2875a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/location.go
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+package main
+
+import (
+	"encoding/csv"
+	"fmt"
+	"os"
+)
+
+// stores locations
+var locationMap = make(map[string]bool)
+
+// read and store locations from CSV
+func ReadCSV(filename string) {
+	file, err := os.Open(filename)
+	if err != nil {
+		fmt.Println("Error opening file:", err)
+		return
+	}
+	defer file.Close()
+
+	reader := csv.NewReader(file)
+	records, err := reader.ReadAll()
+	if err != nil {
+		fmt.Println("Error reading CSV:", err)
+		return
+	}
+
+	// process each row, skipping the header
+	for i, row := range records {
+		if i == 0 || len(row) < 6 {
+			continue
+		}
+
+		fullLocation := row[3] + "-" + row[4] + "-" + row[5] // City-State-Country
+		locationMap[fullLocation] = true
+	}
+
+	fmt.Println("Total locations loaded:", len(locationMap))
+}
diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..837c0646f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/main.go
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+package main
+
+import "fmt"
+
+func main() {
+	ReadCSV("cities.csv")
+
+	// define main distributor
+	AddDistributor("DISTRIBUTOR1",
+		[]string{"INDIA", "UNITED STATES"},
+		[]string{"KARNATAKA-INDIA", "CHENNAI-TAMILNADU-INDIA"},
+	)
+
+	// adding sub-distributors
+	fmt.Println(AddSubDistributor("DISTRIBUTOR1", "DISTRIBUTOR2",
+		[]string{"INDIA"}, []string{"TAMILNADU-INDIA"}))
+
+	fmt.Println(AddSubDistributor("DISTRIBUTOR2", "DISTRIBUTOR3",
+		[]string{"HUBLI-KARNATAKA-INDIA"}, []string{})) // must fail
+
+	// permission test checks
+	fmt.Println("Can DISTRIBUTOR2 distribute in MUMBAI-MAHARASHTRA-INDIA?", CanDistribute("DISTRIBUTOR2", "MUMBAI-MAHARASHTRA-INDIA"))
+	fmt.Println("Can DISTRIBUTOR2 distribute in CHENNAI-TAMILNADU-INDIA?", CanDistribute("DISTRIBUTOR2", "CHENNAI-TAMILNADU-INDIA"))
+	fmt.Println("Can DISTRIBUTOR3 distribute in HUBLI-KARNATAKA-INDIA?", CanDistribute("DISTRIBUTOR3", "HUBLI-KARNATAKA-INDIA"))
+}