“The world’s shortest woman, 18-year-old Jyoti Amge (2 ft .7 in), stands with the world’s shortest man, 72-year-old Chandra Bahadur Dangi (21.5 in) for the first time for the upcoming Guinness World Records 2013 book out September 13th.”
It was a monumental moment for two people who have to work hard to see eye-to-eye with anyone — literally. In April, Guinness World Records brought together the world’s shortest man and woman for the first time in history. Taken together, their 45-inch height is the average for an 8-year-old. But their glee at being photographed was immeasurably high.
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They marked the occasion with photos (above and right). The photographs will appear in the 2013 edition of the Guinness Book of World Records, which is expected to hit shelves on September 13.
Jyoti Amge, the world’s shortest woman, stands 24.7 inches tall. The 18-year-old hails from Nagpur, India. She earned her world-record title shortly after her birthday in December. According to the Guinness World Records website, Amge’s tiny size requires custom-made clothes and jewelry, a small bed, and special plates and flatware. But that didn’t stop her from playing in the big leagues during the photoshoot — she can be seen posing on a forklift in the video below.
Guinness World Records
If her infectious smile warms your heart as much as her pint-size stature, you may be in luck. The Today Show reported that Amge has expressed interest in becoming a Bollywood actress. She is also expected to travel to the U.K. for the launch of next year’s world record book.
The older and shorter man, Chandra Bahadur Dangi, 72, lives in the village of Rhimkholi, Nepal. Dangi, a mere 21.5 inches tall, had never left his remote town before he claimed the world record earlier this year. He was crowned the shortest man in history by Guinness in February, when his height (or lack thereof) dethroned India’s Gul Mohammed, who was 22.5 inches tall before his 1997 death. “It’s a big thing for my family, my village and my country,” Dangi said in a press release. “I am very happy.”
The excitement captured in the photos was apparently contagious. “It was an extraordinary moment; they’re both such incredible individuals,” Guinness World Records adjudicator Marco Frigatti said in a statement. “Everyone knew this was a special moment, and the atmosphere was magical.”
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