Nepalese man, 72, claims to be world's shortest

Published : Feb 23, 2012 - 09:50 Updated : Feb 23, 2012 - 09:52

He has never worked outside the home or seen a doctor, and until Wednesday, he had never left his remote mountain village in western Nepal. So 72-year-old Chandra Bahadur Dangi only recently learned he might be the world's shortest man.

Nepalese Chandra Bahadur Dangi, 72, who says he's only 22 inches (56 centimeters) tall arrives at the airport in Katmandu, Nepal, Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2012. (AP-Yonhap News)

Dangi says he's only 22 inches (56 centimeters) tall _ about the size of a toddler _ and he's hoping to claim the title. Guinness World Records said in an email Wednesday that its officials would arrive in Nepal's capital Sunday to measure Dangi.

Dangi took his first trip outside his village and his first trip on a plane to reach Katmandu on Wednesday.

``I am very happy to be in Katmandu for the first time in my life. I am here so I can take the Guinness title,'' Dangi told reporters at the airport.

Dangi, who has never been married, lives with his eldest brother and his family in Rhimkholi village, about 250 miles (400 kilometers) west of Katmandu. 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 has never been checked by a medical doctor. He attended a few classes in the village school, but soon dropped out.

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

Since the village is so remote, it was only recently that Dangi gained notice. A forest contractor cutting timber in the village met him and informed local media after Dangi'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, and that he was shorter than the world's shortest man.

Guinness currently recognizes Junrey Balawing of the Philippines, who is 23.5 inches (60 centimeters) tall.

Another Nepalese man, Khagendra Thapa Magar, was known as the world's shortest man, at 26.4 inches (67 centimeters), before Balawing took over the title on his 18th birthday in June.

In December, Guinness recognized an Indian teenager as the world's shortest woman. Jyoti Amge is 24.7 inches (62.8 centimeters) tall and wants to attend university and become a Bollywood star.

Aside from a Guinness certificate, the titles not come with any cash award. (AP)

<한글 기사>

키56㎝ 네팔인, 기네스북 최단신자 등재 임박

키 56cm인 72세의 네팔 노인이 기네스북에 세계 최단신자로 이름을 올리기 위해 오는 26일(현지시간) 키를 공식 측정받을 예정이라 고 기네스북이 22일 밝혔다.

네팔 카트만두에서 약 400km 떨어진 외진 산골 마을에 사는 찬드라 바하두르 당 기는 기네스북 관계자들을 만나 정식으로 키를 재기 위해 이날 카트만두 공항에 도 착하기 전까지 단 한 번도 살던 마을을 벗어나거나 의료 검진을 받아본 적이 없었던 것으로 알려졌다.

당기는 자신의 키가 "갓 걸음마를 배우는 아이의 키인 56cm에 불과하다"면서 "

기네스북에 등재되길 희망한다"고 공항에 몰려든 취재진에게 말했다.

그의 주장대로라면 당기는 지난해 기네스북이 세계 최단신자로 공인한 키 59.93 cm의 필리핀인 준리 발라윙 보다도 4cm가량 작다.

그가 사는 마을이 도심에서 너무 멀리 떨어져 있기 때문에 당기가 자신이 세상 에서 가장 작은 사나이일지도 모른다는 사실을 알게 된 건 최근에 와서다.

재목을 자르기 위해 당기가 사는 마을을 찾은 한 산림도급업자가 그를 발견해 키를 측정한 뒤 지역 언론에 알린 것이다.

당기는 아직 미혼으로 그의 형들 및 가족들과 살고 있으며 그의 다섯 형제는 모 두 정상적인 키로 성장했다. 당기의 가족들은 "그의 성장이 언제부터 멈췄는지 알지 못한다"고 말했다.