Thapa Magar, 14, dances, as his mother Dhana Maya Thapa Magar looks on, in Baglung village, 270 kilometers (169 miles) west of Katmandu, Nepal, Monday, April 17, 2006. Magar, who is only 20 inches (50 centimeters) tall and weighs 4.5 kilograms (10 pounds), is waiting for word from the Guinness World Records, where he has applied to be named the shortest in the world, his supporters said on Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2006. (AP Photo/Prakash Mathema)
Guinness to Rule on 20-Inch Nepalese Boy
Friday, September 1, 2006 3:22 PM EDT
The Associated Press
LONDON (AP) — Guinness World Records is awaiting the final pieces of evidence before deciding whether Nepal's shortest man can be named the shortest in the world, a spokeswoman for the company said Friday.
Khagendra Thapa Magar, 14, is 20 inches tall and weighs 10 pounds. Guinness does not have categories for shortest children, but a person under 18 years old can be named the shortest man as long as it can be shown he is fully grown.
"We're still looking into it and waiting for the final bit of evidence," spokeswoman Kate White said. "We have the medical report, but are still waiting for the birth certificate. We'll also want to speak to doctors. ... We want to make sure of that he is fully grown."
She said Guinness received the application last month, and that she did not anticipate a decision for another week or two.
Min Bahadur Thapa, president of the Khagendra Thapa Magar Foundation, claimed their closest competitor was 25 inches tall.
Thapa and family members are currently touring south Nepal, seeking support for the foundation, which was set up to collect funds for the boy.
