In 2006, Guinness World Records was contacted by the Dwarf Association of Nepal, asking it to ratify one of their members – Khagendra Thapa Magar – as the shortest living man. [break]
At the time, Mr Magar stood at just 20in – significantly shorter than the current record holder He Pingping of China, at 29in.
However, there was just one problem: Mr Khangendra had not yet turned 18.
This week, Mr Magar, who has gained just a couple of inches in the past thee years, claimed to have come of age – making him eligible for a title he has long coveted. He told The Times yesterday that he was looking forward to official recognition as the world’s smallest man bringing him global fame, international travel – and an arranged marriage with a bride of similar stature.
Those plans could now face an agonising delay.
Guinness World Records said on Thursday night: “We are in possession of Khagendra´s birth registration certificate, his certification of citizenship and his identity card. On the Nepali calendar, Khagendra was born on Asoj 18, 2049 which equates to October 4, 1992.
This makes him 6,220 days old (as of today, October 15, 2009) or 17 years, 11 days.”
If Mr Magar’s claim is ultimately verified in a year´s time, he could share the title of the shortest man of all time, according to Guinness – the late Gul Mohammed of Delhi, was also 22in tall. He died in 1997.
Mr Magar, who enjoys karate and occasionally performs with a dancing troupe, told The Times that his life in the foothills of the Himalayas in rural Nepal – one of the world’s poorest countries – had already been transformed after word of his size spread. “God is great. He made me small in size but has now given me big name. What else could I have asked for,” he said.
He now hopes his celebrity status will let him travel to “Japan, London and America”.
“Suddenly ridicule has turned into praise. Earlier people used to make fun of me. Now they congratulate me,” he said.
The student, who has learning difficulties and says his hobbies include “playing with pebbles” and “worshipping Buddha”, also has his sights set on an arranged marriage – and children.
“I keep on telling my father to find me a small wife,” he said. “Now it’s up to him to find a right match. I would love to have children but have not yet decided about the numbers.”
His father, Rup Bahadur Thapa, told The Times today that they were unaware of the Guinness judgement. "I cannot see any reason why my son should not hold the title. He is 18. Why should he be rejected?"
He said that the family has heard of some girls with growing disorders elsewhere in Nepal, but did not know whether Khagendra´s condition was hereditary. “Let’s hope it’s not, he said. “As far as money thing is concerned, what can I say? If this thing makes us wealthy, it would be good. But if it doesn’t, we don’t have any problem.”
He added that his son, who weighed just 21oz at birth, had endured a tough childhood. “He must have been around five years old when he first realised he was much smaller than other children,” he said.
“And as he grew older, he felt bad and became quite upset. But we always told him that God definitely had some big plans for him. We always tried to console him saying that size doesn’t matter at all.”
Guinness said on its blog : "We are once again in touch with Khangendra and his family and have asked for re-confirmation of his birthday, on the off chance that there has been some misunderstanding. We are very excited to learn of this little Nepalese claimant – and have been for a few years now. But until we can clear up the discrepancy, the holder of the title of world´s smallest mobile man remains with He Pingping."
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