Nepalese man named shortest person ever

KATMANDU, Nepal – A 72-year-old Nepalese man who is about the size of a toddler has become the world’s shortest person ever recorded.

A doctor and Guinness World Records official measured Chandra Bahadur Dangi on Sunday to confirm his height of 21.5 inches.

Guinness official Craig Glenday presented Dangi with two certificates for being the world’s shortest living man and the world’s shortest person recorded in Guinness’ 57-year history.

“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.

Dangi lives in a remote mountain village, Rhimkholi, about 250 miles west of Katmandu, with his youngest brother and his family. His five brothers are all average height.

Before being measured in the capital, Katmandu, on Saturday, 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.

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.

In December, Guinness recognized an Indian teenager as the world’s shortest woman. Jyoti Amge is 24.7 inches tall and wants to attend university and become a Bollywood star.