At 56cm, he may be shortest man

KATHMANDU: He has never worked outside the home or seen a doctor, and, until yesterday had not left his mountain village in western Nepal.

So 72-year-old Chandra Bahadur Dangi only recently learned he might be the world’s shortest man. He says he’s 56cm tall – about the size of a toddler – and he’s hoping to claim the title.

Guinness World Records said in an e-mail yesterday that its officials would arrive in Nepal’s capital on Sunday to measure him.

Dangi took his first trip outside his village and his first trip on a plane to reach Kathmandu yesterday.

“I am very happy to be in Kathmandu for the first time in my life. I am here so I can take the Guinness title,” he told reporters at the airport.

Dangi, who has never been married, lives with his eldest brother and his family in Rhimkholi village, west of Kathmandu.

Because of his height, he has never worked outside the house, doing only household chores. His five brothers are of average size.

His family is not sure when he stopped growing, and Dangi said he had never been seen by a medical doctor. He attended a few classes in the village school, but soon dropped out.

He eats mainly rice and vegetables, and occasionally meat, but in small portions.

Since his village is so remote, it was only recently that Dangi gained notice.

A forest contractor cutting timber in the village met him and informed the local media after the man’s height was measured.

Dangi’s nephew, Dolak Dangi, said that before the contractor’s visit, the family did not know his uncle’s exact height, or that he was shorter than the world’s recognised shortest man.

Guinness currently recognises Junrey Balawing of the Philippines, who is 60cm tall.

Another Nepalese, Khagendra Thapa Magar, was known as the world’s shortest man, at 67cm, before Balawing took over the title on his 18th birthday in June.

In December, Guinness recognised an Indian teenager as the world’s shortest woman. Jyoti Amge is 62.8cm tall and wants to attend university and become a Bollywood star. – Sapa-ap

PICTURE: AP A relative holds tiny Chandra Bahadur Dangi, 72, who claims to be only 56cm tall.