“To be recognized in the Guinness Book, one has to complete 18 years. So, Khagendra will have to wait for six more months for the recognition,” Min Bahadur Rana, chairperson of Khagendra Thapa Magar Trust, said from Rome on Friday. [break]
Born on September 24, 1992 in Dhullubaskot-6 of Baglung district, Khagendra completed 17 years last year and got his citizenship certificate. He is currently in Rome of Italy along with his father Roop Bahadur and Rana to get his name mentioned in the Guinness Book. The trip has been specially assisted by Euro Television, and has no assistance from the government of Nepal.
A team from the Guinness Book conducted measurements of Khagendra´s body and ascertained that he measures 22.04 inches and weighs five kilograms. Before this, it was claimed that he was just 20 inches tall.
Despite measuring 22.04 inches, Khagendra remains the world´s shortest person, but will have to wait for six more months for the recognition, according to Rana.
The Guinness Book team also found on Wednesday that another contender, Indian girl Jyoti is 23 inches tall, while Chinese national Ping Ping, who currently holds the record, is 29.5 inches tall. This has made it almost certain for Khagendra to get the recognition six months later.
Last year, Ping Ping was recognized by the Guinness Book as the world´s shortest man, after a previous record holder from India, who was just 22.5 inches tall, died.
Khagendra is a Lower Kindergarten student at Saraswati Primary School in Pokhara. His 12-year-old younger brother Mahesh has normal height.
The Khagendra Thapa Magar Trust was established four years ago to ensure that his name is mentioned in the Guinness Book.
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