Jyoti Amge stands on a table as Rob Molloy (right) measures her height in Nagpur. (Reuters)

Nagpur, Dec. 16: At first glance, she looks like a month-old baby in her mother’s lap.

But as she turned 18 today, Nagpur’s Jyoti Amge officially became the planet’s shortest living adult woman, dethroning Bridgette Gordon of the US.

Guinness World Records officials who have come down here measured Jyoti three times over the past 24 hours and confirmed that her height was 62.8cm (about two feet and seven-tenths of an inch). That makes her about 7cm shorter than Gordon.

The shortest woman ever recorded was Pauline Musters (1876-1895) of the Netherlands, who stood at 61cm (almost exactly two feet), according to Guinness.

“It’s a wonderful birthday gift,” said a smiling Jyoti as she cut a cake. “I am the world’s happiest person. I am happy to be what I am.”

Wearing a colourful sari, she stood on a chair alongside Rob Molloy, the official adjudicator for Guinness, who lauded the holder of an “iconic record”.

Jyoti, who weighs 5.25kg, suffers from the commonest form of dwarfism, called achondroplasia, her parents said.

Guinness had already declared her the world’s shortest person in 2009, making her an instant celebrity. But since she wasn’t an adult then, there remained a possibility that she might grow a bit taller. She has indeed added 8.5cm to her height since then.

“I feel grateful to be this size. It’s bringing name and fame to my family,” Jyoti said. “After all, if I weren’t small and had not achieved these world records, I might never have been able to visit Japan and Europe and many other wonderful countries.”

Last year, she passed her Class X exams with distinction and is now studying higher secondary at a junior college.

“She stopped growing (like a normal child) a few months after her birth,” said her father Kisan Amge, 51, who runs a modest transport business in the city along with his son Satish. Jyoti has three sisters and a brother, all of normal height like her parents.

Achondroplasia is caused by genetic mutations that lead to bone growth disorder. Those affected typically have a normal lifespan but carry the risk of slow breathing, obesity, back pain and difficulty in walking because of bowed legs.

“Jyoti is mentally a normal person and does her chores on her own,” Amge said.

“Except when she has to wear a sari or when she wants her long hair tied in knots,” her mother Ranjana cut in.

Like any other woman her age, Jyoti loves being fashionable. “I love ornaments,” she said shyly, “and I like partying with friends.”

She is on Facebook and has a long list of friends. She has featured in several documentaries and participated in a music album, titled Hum Hai Jahan, Party Wahan, with pop star Mika Singh a couple of years ago.

Jyoti dreams of working in a film one day — alongside Salman Khan.