In pictures: Chandra Bahadur Dangi, the world's shortest man?

The National
In a picture taken on February 9, 2012, Chandra Bahadur Dangi, a 72-year-old Nepali who claims to be the world's shortest man at 56 centimetres (22 inches) in height, has dinner with relatives at his home village in Reemkholi village, Dang district, some 540 kilometres southwest of Kathmandu. Pilloried by neighbours, laughed at in freakshows and spurned by the women he admired from afar, Chandra Bahadur Dangi has always seen his tiny stature as a curse. But the 72-year-old Nepali, who claims to stand at just 56 centimetres (22 inches), is on the brink of life change as significant as a lottery win as experts prepare to test his claim to be the shortest man in history. AFP PHOTO/Prakash MATHEMA *** Local Caption *** 864213-01-08.jpg
In a picture taken on February 9, 2012, Chandra Bahadur Dangi, a 72-year-old Nepali who claims to be the world's shortest man at 56 centimetres (22 inches) in height, has dinner with relatives at his home village in Reemkholi village, Dang district, some 540 kilometres southwest of Kathmandu. Pilloried by neighbours, laughed at in freakshows and spurned by the women he admired from afar, Chandra Bahadur Dangi has always seen his tiny stature as a curse. But the 72-year-old Nepali, who claims to stand at just 56 centimetres (22 inches), is on the brink of life change as significant as a lottery win as experts prepare to test his claim to be the shortest man in history. AFP PHOTO/Prakash MATHEMA *** Local Caption *** 864213-01-08.jpg
Chandra Bahadur Dangi, a 72-year-old Nepali who claims to be the world's shortest man at 56 centimetres (22 inches) in height, looks at goats at his home village in Reemkholi village, Dang district, some 540 kilometres southwest of Kathmandu. AFP PHOTO/???
Chandra Bahadur Dangi, a 72-year-old Nepali who claims to be the world's shortest man at 56 centimetres (22 inches) in height, looks at goats at his home village in Reemkholi village, Dang district, some 540 kilometres southwest of Kathmandu. AFP PHOTO/???
Chandra Bahadur Dangi (C), a 72-year-old Nepali who claims to be the world's shortest man at 56 centimetres (22 inches) in height, is carried by his nephew Tilak Dangi on the way to his home village in Dang district, some 540 kilometres southwest of Katha???
Chandra Bahadur Dangi (C), a 72-year-old Nepali who claims to be the world's shortest man at 56 centimetres (22 inches) in height, is carried by his nephew Tilak Dangi on the way to his home village in Dang district, some 540 kilometres southwest of Katha???
Chandra Bahadur Dangi (top L), a 72-year-old Nepali who claims to be the world's shortest man at 56 centimetres (22 inches) in height, is carried by a relative on the way to his home village in Dang district, some 540 kilometres southwest of Kathmandu. ???
Chandra Bahadur Dangi (top L), a 72-year-old Nepali who claims to be the world's shortest man at 56 centimetres (22 inches) in height, is carried by a relative on the way to his home village in Dang district, some 540 kilometres southwest of Kathmandu. ???
Chandra Bahadur Dangi, a 72-year-old Nepali who claims to be the world's shortest man at 56 centimetres (22 inches) in height, puts on a shirt in Jhapa district, southeastern Nepal. Pilloried by neighbours, laughed at in freakshows and spurned by the wome???
Chandra Bahadur Dangi, a 72-year-old Nepali who claims to be the world's shortest man at 56 centimetres (22 inches) in height, puts on a shirt in Jhapa district, southeastern Nepal. Pilloried by neighbours, laughed at in freakshows and spurned by the wome???
Chandra Bahadur Dangi (C), a 72-year-old Nepali who claims to be the world's shortest man at 56 centimetres (22 inches) in height, walks with his nephew Tilak Dangi in Jhapa district, southeastern Nepal. AFP PHOTO/Prakash MATHEMA
Chandra Bahadur Dangi (C), a 72-year-old Nepali who claims to be the world's shortest man at 56 centimetres (22 inches) in height, walks with his nephew Tilak Dangi in Jhapa district, southeastern Nepal. AFP PHOTO/Prakash MATHEMA
Chandra Bahadur Dangi (C), a 72-year-old Nepali who claims to be the world's shortest man at 56 centimetres (22 inches) in height, rests in car in Dang district, some 540 kilometres southwest of Kathamandu. AFP PHOTO/Prakash MATHEMA
Chandra Bahadur Dangi (C), a 72-year-old Nepali who claims to be the world's shortest man at 56 centimetres (22 inches) in height, rests in car in Dang district, some 540 kilometres southwest of Kathamandu. AFP PHOTO/Prakash MATHEMA
Chandra Bahadur Dangi (C), a 72-year-old Nepali who claims to be the world's shortest man at 56 centimetres (22 inches) in height, sits with his nephew in a jeep on their way home in Hetauda, Makawanpur district, southern Nepal. AFP PHOTO/Prakash MATHEM??
Chandra Bahadur Dangi (C), a 72-year-old Nepali who claims to be the world's shortest man at 56 centimetres (22 inches) in height, sits with his nephew in a jeep on their way home in Hetauda, Makawanpur district, southern Nepal. AFP PHOTO/Prakash MATHEM??
Chandra Bahadur Dangi, a 72-year-old Nepali who claims to be the world's shortest man at 56 centimetres (22 inches) in height, walks near his home in Reemkholi village, Dang district, some 540 kilometres southwest of Kathamandu. AFP PHOTO/Prakash MATHEM??
Chandra Bahadur Dangi, a 72-year-old Nepali who claims to be the world's shortest man at 56 centimetres (22 inches) in height, walks near his home in Reemkholi village, Dang district, some 540 kilometres southwest of Kathamandu. AFP PHOTO/Prakash MATHEM??
Chandra Bahadur Dangi, a 72-year-old Nepali who claims to be the world's shortest man at 56 centimetres (22 inches) in height, stands near his home in Reemkholi village, Dang district, some 540 kilometres southwest of Kathamandu. AFP PHOTO/Prakash MATHE???
Chandra Bahadur Dangi, a 72-year-old Nepali who claims to be the world's shortest man at 56 centimetres (22 inches) in height, stands near his home in Reemkholi village, Dang district, some 540 kilometres southwest of Kathamandu. AFP PHOTO/Prakash MATHE???
Chandra Bahadur Dangi, a 72-year-old Nepali who claims to be the world's shortest man at 56 centimetres (22 inches) in height, looks on as villagers measures him near his home in Reemkholi village, Dang district, some 540 kilometres southwest of Kathmandu???
Chandra Bahadur Dangi, a 72-year-old Nepali who claims to be the world's shortest man at 56 centimetres (22 inches) in height, looks on as villagers measures him near his home in Reemkholi village, Dang district, some 540 kilometres southwest of Kathmandu???
Chandra Bahadur Dangi (R), a 72-year-old Nepali who claims to be the world's shortest man at 56 centimetres (22 inches) in height, is carried by his nephew Dolak Dangi on the way to his home village in Dang district, some 540 kilometres southwest of Kathm???
Chandra Bahadur Dangi (R), a 72-year-old Nepali who claims to be the world's shortest man at 56 centimetres (22 inches) in height, is carried by his nephew Dolak Dangi on the way to his home village in Dang district, some 540 kilometres southwest of Kathm???
Chandra Bahadur Dangi, a 72-year-old Nepali who claims to be the world's shortest man at 56 centimetres (22 inches) in height, looks at goats at his home village in Reemkholi village, Dang district, some 540 kilometres southwest of Kathmandu. AFP PHOTO/???
Chandra Bahadur Dangi, a 72-year-old Nepali who claims to be the world's shortest man at 56 centimetres (22 inches) in height, looks at goats at his home village in Reemkholi village, Dang district, some 540 kilometres southwest of Kathmandu. AFP PHOTO/???