Big day for a little lady: 2ft tall Jyoti dreams of Bollywood acting career after being crowned world's shortest woman
Jyoti Amge crowned world shortest woman at just 62cm tallShe weighs only 12lbs - just 9lbs more than she did at birth
By Chris Parsons
Last updated at 1:24 AM on 17th December 2011
Celebrating your 18th birthday is a momentous occasion for anyone, but for tiny Jyoti Amge the milestone is even bigger news.
The
2ft teenager is already a mini celebrity in her hometown of Nagpur,
India, but is now set for a huge record when she is officially declared
the world's smallest woman.
And
despite her miniature stature, 61.95cm-tall Jyoti hopes to celebrate
being crowned the world's shortest woman by launching a Bollywood movie
career.
Scroll down for video
Big news: Jyoti is measured at 61.95cm on her 18th birthday by Guinness
World Record officials, making her the world's shortest woman
The 18-year-old sits at home in Nagpur, India, in front of a pink teddy bear which looms over her tiny frame
She took the Guinness World
Record from 2ft 3in American Bridgette Jordan, and celebrated her
birthday with a teddy bear which loomed over her tiny 24.4in frame.
She
measured 7 centimeters (2.76 inches) shorter than the 22-year-old
American Bridgette Jordan, who had held the title since September.
A teary-eyed Jyoti,
dressed in one of her finest saris, called the honor an 'extra birthday
present' and said she felt grateful for being small, as it had brought
her recognition.
She also blew out candles on a birthday cake which was comfortably bigger than her.
Even the Guinness World Records book at the ceremony came up to Jyoti's waist.
Jyoti
weighs just 12lbs (5.5kg) - only 9lbs more than she did at birth - and
has a form of dwarfism call achondroplasia, which stopped her growing
after her first birthday.
She
has brittle bones and is likely to need care for the rest of her life,
but that has not stopped her tall ambitions of cracking the movie
industry.
Acting dreams: Jyoti is set to feature in two Bollywood films next year
Jyoti has many utensils and pieces of furniture specially-made to fit her miniature frame
Pint-sized: Jyoti weighs just 12lbs, only 9lbs more than she did when she was born
Standing tall: Jyoti's dwarfism condition means she is likely to stay the same size for the rest of her life
Budding actress Jyoti, who is set to appear in two Bollywood films next year, told The Sun: 'I want to make people happy.'
As
a teenager at school in Nagpur, Jyoti had her own small desk and chair,
but said the other students didn't treat her any differently.
She also has to sleep in a specially-made bed and uses utensils that are smaller than average.
This
was not Amge's first Guinness record. Until Friday she was considered
the world's shortest teenager, but in turning 18 qualified for the new
title.
She has grown
less than 1cm (0.4in) in the last two years, Guinness said in a
statement, and will grow no more due to a form of dwarfism called
achondroplasia.
Her
teenage title brought the chance for multiple Guinness-sponsored trips
to Japan and Italy for tours and meetings with other record holders, she
said.
The title of
shortest woman in history continues to be held by Pauline Musters, who
lived in the Netherlands from 1876 to 1895 and stood 61 centimeters (24
inches) tall.
Jyoti holds the hand of her sister's five-year-old son Vishatej, as she prepares herself for the Guinness World Records ceremony
Enlarge
Jyoti, pictured in 2009, attended school
with her classmates, who she says didn't treat her any differently
Enlarge
Jyoti with a family friend two years ago - who, at 13 months, is already bigger than she is
