- Khagendra Thapa Magar of Nepal, was an oddity but a lovable one at that
- Barely the size of the toddler, he stood at a mere 2ft 2.4 ins when the Guinness World Records officially declared him as the world’s shortest man by in 2010
- Health issues led to his hospitalisation and eventual death in Jan 2020, aged 27
Size matters a great deal and should conform to accepted conventional parameters and norms to perfectly fit into a relative physical perspective of our socially complex world. Variations, either too big or too small when they do occur, are conspicuous exceptions, that tend to cause a stir and are seen as aberrations that deviate from the normal. Imagine a world where bumblebees were as big as elephants and elephants were tiny creatures as small as ants.
While those might seem as bizarre and impossible possibilities, yet the world is full of oddities, excluding ants and elephants of course.. And Khagendra Thapa Magar, from Nepal was one such oddity.
Barely the size of the toddler, he stood at a mere 2ft 2.4 ins when the Guinness World Records officially declared him as the world’s shortest man in 2010. Guinness also described him as ‘an extraordinary man who brought smiles to everyone he met.’
But beneath his smiles and fame there lay a deeper story of quiet struggle. His tiny frame, which brought him global recognition, also carried with it a lifelong burden of fragile health. Khagendra suffered from heart problems, asthma and recurring bouts of pneumonia.
Friends said that although he rarely spoke of pain, there were times he struggled just to breathe. But despite these various health issues, he was proud of his tiny size.
Tourists came from across the world just to meet him. And he would say “being small had brought him a big heart and a huge family of friends”.
- In time as his fame spread, Khagendra began to meet public figures and entertainers from around the world
- And soon he would become an ambassador for Nepal’s tourism, a symbol of pride for a country better known for its towering Himalayan peaks
Khagendra lived a simple life. Most of the time he chose to spend outside his family shop, chatting with neighbours, strumming his guitar and riding a small motorbike with his brother.
He had also made appearances alongside the world’s shortest woman, Jyoti Amge of India, and the tallest man, Sultan Kösen of Turkey.
Eventually, health issues led to Khagendra’s hospitalisation in January 2020, in Kathmandu. He died shortly afterwards, aged just 27.
News of his death brought sadness and gloom, with an outpouring of grief across Nepal and beyond.
His family said he was happiest when surrounded by laughter and music. He once told an interviewer: “Why be sad? I have a small body, but I can do everything like others
Born in 1992 to parents who had never seen a child so tiny, Khagendra’s weighed just just 1.2 lbs, at birth and could fit in the palm of a hand
Khagendra lived a modest life, and enjoyed playing his guitar, riding a a small motor bike with his brother and greeting locals at the family shop.
He was an official face of Nepal’s tourism campaign.
(With inputs by Olivia Allhusen/ Daily Mail)
DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Pravasi Samwad. Pravasi Samwad is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information presented.
