SURUNGA, NEPAL // Pilloried by neighbours, laughed at in freakshows and spurned by the women he admired from afar, Chandra Bahadur Dangi has always seen his tiny stature as a curse.
But the 72-year-old Nepali, who claims to stand at just 56 centimetres, is on the brink of life change as significant as a lottery win as experts prepare to test his claim to be the shortest man in history.
Until now, Junrey Balawing from the Philippines has held the title of the world's smallest living man with a height of 59.93cm.
Guinness World Records experts confirmed last week they are to travel to Dangi's village in the impoverished south-western valleys of Dang district to measure the pensioner, who says he weighs just 12 kilos. If his measurements prove correct, he would be smaller than Mr Balawing but would also be the shortest human adult ever documented, taking the accolade from India's Gul Mohammed, who was measured at 57cm before he died in 1997 aged 40.
Mr Dangi said in his first interview with western media that recognition at the end of his life would be some compensation for years of hardship he has had to endure.
"I think things will be better now. I hope that I will be famous all over the world," Mr Dangi said at a religious festival in Surunga, a town on the banks of the sacred Kankai river 280 kilometres south-east of Kathmandu.
"I want to visit foreign countries and meet people from around the world."
The pensioner, who was orphaned at 12 and has five normal-sized brothers, says he has never experienced romance and is yet to find his soulmate.
"I was short since my childhood. So, I couldn't find a woman to marry when I was young. Then I just gave up on the idea of marriage. At this old age, I'm not interested in marriage anymore."
The cause of his stunted growth remains a mystery although many holders of the "world's shortest man" crown have suffered from primordial dwarfism, a condition that begins to show signs in the womb.
Mr Dangi says relatives would parade him as a freak at fetes and festivals when he was younger, refusing to share with him any of the cash they earned.
"They would treat me as a toy," he told the Kathmandu-based Republica newspaper.
Mr Dangi, who scrapes a living weaving the "Naamlo", a traditional jute band used for carrying heavy weights, has already become something of a celebrity in southern Nepal.
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A State of Passion
Directors: Carol Mansour and Muna Khalidi
Stars: Dr Ghassan Abu-Sittah
Rating: 4/5
How to register as a donor
1) Organ donors can register on the Hayat app, run by the Ministry of Health and Prevention
2) There are about 11,000 patients in the country in need of organ transplants
3) People must be over 21. Emiratis and residents can register.
4) The campaign uses the hashtag #donate_hope
Teams
Pakistan: Sarfraz Ahmed (captain), Mohammad Hafeez, Sahibzada Farhan, Babar Azam, Shoaib Malik, Asif Ali, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan Shanwari, Hasan Ali, Imad Wasim, Faheem Ashraf.
New Zealand: Kane Williamson (captain), Corey Anderson, Mark Chapman, Lockie Ferguson, Colin de Grandhomme, Adam Milne, Colin Munro, Ajaz Patel, Glenn Phillips, Seth Rance, Tim Seifert, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor.
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Europe’s rearming plan
- Suspend strict budget rules to allow member countries to step up defence spending
- Create new "instrument" providing €150 billion of loans to member countries for defence investment
- Use the existing EU budget to direct more funds towards defence-related investment
- Engage the bloc's European Investment Bank to drop limits on lending to defence firms
- Create a savings and investments union to help companies access capital
Tips for newlyweds to better manage finances
All couples are unique and have to create a financial blueprint that is most suitable for their relationship, says Vijay Valecha, chief investment officer at Century Financial. He offers his top five tips for couples to better manage their finances.
Discuss your assets and debts: When married, it’s important to understand each other’s personal financial situation. It’s necessary to know upfront what each party brings to the table, as debts and assets affect spending habits and joint loan qualifications. Discussing all aspects of their finances as a couple prevents anyone from being blindsided later.
Decide on the financial/saving goals: Spouses should independently list their top goals and share their lists with one another to shape a joint plan. Writing down clear goals will help them determine how much to save each month, how much to put aside for short-term goals, and how they will reach their long-term financial goals.
Set a budget: A budget can keep the couple be mindful of their income and expenses. With a monthly budget, couples will know exactly how much they can spend in a category each month, how much they have to work with and what spending areas need to be evaluated.
Decide who manages what: When it comes to handling finances, it’s a good idea to decide who manages what. For example, one person might take on the day-to-day bills, while the other tackles long-term investments and retirement plans.
Money date nights: Talking about money should be a healthy, ongoing conversation and couples should not wait for something to go wrong. They should set time aside every month to talk about future financial decisions and see the progress they’ve made together towards accomplishing their goals.
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