Srinagar, Aug. 17 -- A census is far more than a count of people. It is the mirror through which a nation sees itself-its communities, aspirations, vulnerabilities and changing social landscape. The beginning of self-enumeration for Phase II of Census 2027 in the snow-bound areas of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh is therefore an important democratic exercise, carrying significance far beyond statistics. In some of India's most difficult terrains, geography itself becomes a challenge. Scattered settlements, harsh winters, limited connectivity and difficult access can make the simple act of counting every household an arduous task. Yet these are precisely the places where accurate enumeration matters most. For people living in remote and snow...