Khagendra Thapa Magar, The Shortest Man In The World, Dies

Khagendra Thapa Magar, record holder for the world's shortest man (Instagram @Guinnessworldrecord)

JAKARTA - Khagendra Thapa Magar, the record holder for the shortest man in the world has died. The man from Nepal died at the age of 27.

Launching from Independent.uk, Khagendra holds the world record for being the shortest man in the world with a height of around 67.08 centimeters. He died after being repeatedly hospitalized with pneumonia.

"He was in and out of hospital with pneumonia. But this time his liver was also affected. He died today," said his brother Mahesh Thapa Magar.

Khagendra was born on October 14, 1992 in the Baglung district of Nepal. He is the eldest son of Roop Bahadur and Dhan Maya.

Quoted from the official Guinness World Record website, Magar was first declared the world's shortest man in 2010 after his 18th birthday. Before being beaten by another Nepalese man, Chandra Bahadur Dangi from Nepal, who measured 54.6 centimeters.

After Dangi died in 2015, Khagendra again received the title of the world's shortest walking man.

"He was so small when he was born that he could fit in the palm of your hand, and it was very difficult to bathe him because he was so small," said his father, Roop Bahadur, according to Guinness World Records.

Thanks to this title, Khagendra has also become a Nepalese Tourism Ambassador. With his posture, Khagendra can travel to Europe and the United States to appear on television.

"We are very sad to hear news from Nepal that Khagendra is no longer with us," said Craig Glenday, chief editor of Guinness World Records.

"Life can be a challenge when you weigh just 6 kilograms and you don't fit into a world built for the average person. But Khagendra certainly didn't let his small size stop him from getting the most out of life," he continued.

With the death of Khagendra, Edward Hernandez from Colombia will be lined up to become the world's shortest man who can walk with a height of 70.21 centimeters. Meanwhile, the title of the shortest man in the world who cannot walk is held by Junrey Balawing from the Philippines with a body size of 59.93 centimeters.