India, April 2 -- Census 2027, the world's largest statistical exercise, officially kicked off on Wednesday as President Droupadi Murmu - the First Citizen of India - exercised the option of self-enumeration under the first phase of the exercise.

"The national enumeration exercise was initiated with the enumeration of the President of India, Smt Droupadi Murmu, through the option of self-enumeration, upholding the proud tradition of commencing the national count with the First Citizen of India," a government statement said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also completed his self-enumeration on Wednesday and appealed to citizens to participate in the Census process.

"Today marks the beginning of the first phase of Census 2027, relating to ...