Original Blog Entry: Meet the smallest girl in the world

truesee — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 11:53:09 GMT

Meet the smallest girl in the world

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Jyoti Amge does her homework, with refreshment close at hand

Tiny Jyoti Amge is already a 'mini' celebrity in her hometown of Nagpur, India.

But she has one big claim to fame - at just under two-foot tall the teenager is the smallest girl in the world.

Standing just one foot 11.5ins at 15-years-old, she is half the size of her two-year-old nephew.

When I tell people my age they don't believe me, she said.

Weighing just 12lb - only 9lbs more than her weight at birth, Jyoti dreams of becoming an actress and is believed by many to be the reincarnation of a goddess.

When I was three I realised that I was different to the rest of the kids, she said.

I thought that everyone was bigger and I should get bigger too.

Jyoti Amge and her school friends

Jyoti has her own mini grey uniform and school bag and even a tiny desk. But she looks like a doll next to her teenage classmates.

When I was three I realised that I was different to the rest of the kids

She said: I am proud of being the smallest girl. I love all the attention I get.

I'm not scared of being small, and I don't regret being small.

I am sure there are many people in this world who are dwarves like me.

I'm just the same as other people. I eat like you, dream like you. I don't feel any different.

Despite her tiny size Jyoti insists on living as normal a life as possible - including going to the local school where she is an average and sometimes naughty student.

I used to get stressed and couldn't go out much but now I like going out and speaking to people, she said.

When I first went to school everyone was so big I used to get scared but I'm okay now, I like it.

I have a different desk and chair that were made for me. I'm a normal student.

I would like to be an actress when I grow up. My dream is to do films. Jyoti has already had a taste of fame in a pop video for Indian star Mika Singh.

They asked her to appear in the video for a song on his album, said her mum Ranjana Amge, 45.

However, Jyoti's dreams of stardom could be ruined because of fractures to both her legs that have never healed due to problems with her size.

First I could walk, but I slipped on ice during a holiday and hurt my leg. Because of that I'm not able to do anything. I find it strange that my legs just don't heal. They should heal quickly. I don't like it, it causes me pain.

Doctors believe Jyoti is a pituitary dwarf but have never been able to pinpoint her condition.

Jyoti's mum said: No-one knows why she is so small. 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.

People in the region of India where the family live flock to see the pretty teenager and some even treat her as a goddess.

Ambitious Jyoti dreams of making it as a Bollywood actress.

She said: I would love to act in films. I would love to travel to London and to see the different world there.

I want to see America as well. I'd love to work in a big city like Mumbai.

Now Jyoti is to be featured in Channel 4's Bodyshock series on Thursday, June 11 at 9pm.

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