SQL connectivity?

Hi

A small non-profit org I'm the web admin for is looking to open a Zoho account to host its membership database. I'd like to ask a couple of Qs:

1. Can I send SQL statements directly to the database on Zoho?
2. If not, can I send an API call to get, say, record details?
3. Is this facility open to all Zoho users, or only paying customers?

I did look through the API docs but they're massive and look to be exclusively focussed on bringing an Office-style interface to the client, though I've probably missed something. I did search for "SQL" in the KnowledgeBase, found some hits, but when I clicked on them I came straight back to the KB. D'OH!!

TIA for any tips/answers/suggestions.

Cheers

Fred

PS: Personally I'd rather the org didn't use the Cloud as IMO that's allowing a third party to hold your data to ransom, but they've been seduced by the user-friendliness so the decision's been made.