He was barely taller than a toddler, yet lived larger than most.
Khagendra Thapa Magar, from Nepal, stood just 2ft 2.4 ins tall when he was officially crowned the world’s shortest man by Guinness World Records in 2010.
But behind the smiles and the fame lay a quiet struggle.
His tiny frame, which brought him global recognition, also carried a lifelong burden of fragile health – and the knowledge that his days might be numbered.
Born in 1992 in the mountainous Baglung district of Nepal, Khagendra arrived so small that his parents feared he wouldn’t survive his first night.
Little enough to fit in the palm of a hand, he astonished doctors, who soon realised his growth would always be limited – and that he would face a lifetime of medical complications.
Yet from his earliest days, Khagendra defied expectations.
While other children ran through the fields, he watched with a wide grin, drawing people in with his cheerfulness and curiosity.
His father once said that even as a boy, ‘he liked being around people – he wanted to see the world, even if the world had to bend down to see him.’
Khagendra Thapa Magar, from Nepal, stood just 2ft 2.4 inches tall when he was officially crowned the world’s shortest man by Guinness World Records in 2010. Pictured: Khagendra Thapa Magar poses for a picture with Miss Nepal Sadichha Shrestha (C) and first runner-up Sahana Bajracharya (R) and second runner-up Samyukta Timilsina (L) in Kathmandu
His tiny frame, which brought him global recognition, also carried a lifelong burden of fragile health – and the knowledge that his days might be numbered
His father once said that even as a boy, ‘he liked being around people – he wanted to see the world, even if the world had to bend down to see him’
By his teens, Khagendra had become a local sensation. Crowds gathered wherever he went, and he began travelling across Nepal to appear on television and at festivals.
When Guinness World Records officially recognised him as the world’s shortest mobile man, he became an instant celebrity – the tiny figure from the Himalayas whose smile seemed to reach everyone.
Tourists travelled from across the globe just to meet him, and he relished every handshake and selfie, saying that being small had brought him a ‘big heart and a big family of friends’.
As his fame spread, Khagendra began to meet public figures and entertainers from around the world.
He became an ambassador for Nepal’s tourism campaign, a symbol of pride for a country better known for its towering peaks.
Khagendra also appeared alongside the world’s shortest woman, Jyoti Amge of India, and the tallest man, Sultan Kösen of Turkey.
Yet amid the travel and applause, Khagendra lived simply.
He spent his days at the family shop, chatting with neighbours, strumming his guitar and riding a small motorbike with his brother.
Born in 1992 to parents who had never seen a child so tiny, Khagendra’s weighed just just 12 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
Khagendra was an official face of Nepal’s tourism campaign, which featured him as the smallest man in a country that is home to the world’s highest peak, Mount Everest
Khagendra Thapa Magar from Nepal (R) poses for photographers with Londoner Tiny Iron in central London September 9, 2010
In January 2020, Khagendra was admitted to hospital in Kathmandu, where he died shortly afterwards
Despite his fame, he remained deeply connected to his roots – a modest young man whose laughter filled the narrow streets of his hometown.
But his health was never far from concern.
Khagendra suffered from heart problems, asthma and recurring bouts of pneumonia – ailments that shadowed even his brightest days.
Friends said that although he rarely spoke of pain, there were times he struggled just to breathe.
In January 2020, Khagendra was admitted to hospital in Kathmandu, where he died shortly afterwards, aged just 27.
His death sparked an outpouring of grief across Nepal and beyond. Guinness World Records described him as ‘an extraordinary man who brought smiles to everyone he met.’
His family said he was happiest when surrounded by laughter and music.
‘Why be sad?’ he once told an interviewer. ‘I have a small body – but I can do everything like others.’
