Smallest girl in the world

I received a set of pictures and information about this tiny teenager from India who has been adjudged as the smallest girl in the world. Looking at the amazing medical condition (dwarfism) which has stunted the growth of this girl I felt I must share it with the readers of my blog.

Born and brought up in India, Jyothi Amge (14), is just 1ft 11in (58cm) tall. No wonder she is the smallest girl in the world. Jyoti is shorter than the average two-year-old child and only weighs 11lb (5kg). She suffers from a medical condition called achondroplasia wihch prevents her from growing taller. In effect she has reached the ultimate height she could ever grow.

When I read about this adorably abnormal teenager I remembered the 18th century (1726-1735) book Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift, which I had read during my high school days. In the book the protagonist travels across the world visiting strange lands. During one of his travels he gets shipwrecked and becomes a prisoner in the land of Liliputs, tiny human beings barely 6 inches tall.

Jyothi though a wee bit larger than the legendary Liliputs, could easily evoke such memories and imagination. She is one of those people in the world who has to get everything custom made. Clothes, jewellery, furniture, everything has to be custom made to her size. She sleeps in a tiny bed and uses special plates and cutlery to eat.

Having supportive parents and community she attends a mainstream school in Nagpur, central India. She has her own small desk and chair, and her classmates treat her like any other student. Just because she is of tiny stature Jyoti hasn't lost out on life. Like any other teenaged girl, she is interested in fashionable dresses, music, latest DVDs etc.

"I am proud of being small. I love all the attention I get. I'm not scared of being small and I don't regret it. I'm just the same as other people. I eat like you, dream like you. I don't feel any different," says Jyoti who has already attained celebrity status in her home town. This has helped her get into the glamour biz and she is soon going to be a pop singer of fame. She is releasing a Indi-pop album with Indian pop star Mika Singh (Daler Mehendi's brother).

Her parents Kishanji (52) and Ranjana Amge (45) simply dote on their little girl. "When Jyoti was born, she seemed quite normal. We came to know about her disorder when she was five. We consulted a specialist and he said she will be this size all of her life. Jyoti is small, yet cute, and we love her very much," says Ranjana emphatically.

"I can't separate myself from her even for a single day.. I love her very much. She makes me proud," declares Kishanji categorically.

As for Jyoti, she dreams of becoming a Bollywood star. "I would love to work in a big city like Mumbai, act in films and travel," says Jyoti.

Little steps make even the longest journey possible and Jyoti has already started in the right direction.