Shortest man: Chandra Bahadur Dangi sets world record (Video)
KATHMANDU, Nepal--Mr. Chandra Bahadur Dangi, 72, who lives in the isolated Nepalese village of Reemkholi in Dang district, some 540 kilometres southwest of the capital Kathmandu,
measures 54.6cm (21.5 in) - setting the new world record for the Shortest man and the shortest person, according to World Record Academy: www.worldrecordacademy.com/.
Photo: Chandra Dangi, 72, who is 56cm tall, has his hat adjusted by his nephew Dolak Dangi. Photo: Niranjan Shrestha/AP
(enlarge photo)
The Guinness world record for the shortest man ever is Chandra Bahadur Dangi (Nepal) who measures 54.6 cm (21.5 in) tall as verified at CIWEC Clinic Travel Medicine Center in Lainchaur, Kathmandu, Nepal.
Guinness World Records also recognized the world record for the shortest woman living (mobile): Jyoti Amge (India, born 16 Dec 1993), who measured 62.8 cm (24.7 in) in Nagpur, India.
"I am very happy. Now I want to travel across Nepal and to foreign countries," Dangi told reporters afterward.
He said he has no desire to get married or have a family of his own, but would like to meet the prime minister of Nepal soon.
Before being measured in the capital, Katmandu, he had never seen a doctor and his relatives say he has never been seriously ill or had any injuries. The doctors who saw him at the clinic also found no immediate health problems. His family is not sure when he stopped growing.
Dangi lives in a remote mountain village, Rhimkholi, about 250 miles (400 kilometers) west of Katmandu, with his youngest brother and his family. His five brothers are all average height.
Because of his height, he has never worked outside the house, doing only household chores. He has a normal sized head and regularly shaves, but his body is small.
He is able to walk and climb small stairs. He eats mainly rice and vegetables, and occasionally meat, but in small portions.
Chandra is more than an inch shorter than the previous record holder of the "shortest man living" title, Filipino Jurney Balawing, who is 59.9 centimeters, or just under 2 feet.
His nephew, who lives with him and carries him around, said his uncle likes to help around the house with little errands.
"He's a very skilled weaver and likes to weave namlo and doko," his nephew said, referring to traditional Nepali baskets and straps.
"He is also good at weaving straw mattresses, out of which he makes a living." In his youth, Dangi was famous in his village for being good at playing the madal, a traditional musical instrument.
The world's shortest living woman is currently 18-year-old Jyoti Amge from India at 62.8 centimeters, or just a little over 2 feet.
