Short physique has always been perceived as a negative trait in humans, which is a kind of shocking outlook, as a person’s height has nothing to do with his abilities. Our history provides us with examples of individuals who were short in their stature, but ruled the world with their sheer talent, achievements, and prominence. While none of these people were the shortest person in the world but they can be definitely called as short in regard with the considered average height for the world.
How do we measure the term ‘short’?
There is an absolute difference of opinion as to what height can be considered as ‘short’. The standard human height differs with different region as well as civilization. Short stature is considered as a vague term as it does not have any solid definition in its support. A Lilliputian from the Congo Basin might be a short person for the entire world. Similarly, a person who is short compared to his counterparts is considered as short person in the group. Without any valid definition in support short height is usually referred to a person who is short than the expected height.
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Famous Short People in the World
In the United States, 5 ft. 9.2 inches is the standard height for the men, thus while collecting the list of short height people, we have decided the height of 5 ft. 5 inches as the yardstick; this is significantly short when associated for the global standard.
Yuri Gagarin
A Soviet cosmonaut with a height of 5 ft. 2 inches. On April 12, 1961, he raised to fame becoming the first person to travel in the space and also to orbit the earth for the first time. This heroic accomplishment of him not only provided Soviet a pilot in the much-ballyhooed space race, but also earned Gagarin international fame earning him copious awards and accolades. He was honoured with Hero of the Soviet Union, highest distinction of the land on April 14, 1961.
Yasser Arafat
A Palestinian statesman measuring 5 ft. 2 inches tall. He garnered fame as the Palestinian leader and the chairman of the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO). He was regarded as a freedom by the Palestinians, while for the Israelis, he was a terrorist. He is said to be a true international leader who devotedly work for the Palestinian national aspirations entire his life.
Voltaire
His vertical height is measured at 5 ft. 3 inches. Voltaire was a French writer, philosopher extensively known for his witty writing. Throughout his life, he used his writing to support civil liberties–freedom of religion and expression in particular. He hardly ever vacillated in talking on the traditional Catholic Church, and even promoted the separation of the Church and state. A passionate supporter of social reforms, Voltaire had been able make a major influence on many thinkers from the period of American and French revolutions.
Ludwig van Beethoven
A German composer and pianist, Beethoven stands at a height of 5 ft. 3 inches. His compositions were highly influenced by the intermediary period between the Classical and Romantic eras witnessed in the Western art music. By the age of 26, he began to suffer from hearing impairment and become completely deaf over time. It may sound unbelievable, but the fact is that he composed some of this best works during this phase of his life. This is the reason why he is widely stated as one the most famous and influential of all composers of all the time.
Pablo Picasso
He was a Spanish painter, sculptor and was 5 ft. 4 inches tall. Using his paint brush to work wonders, Picasso has created many incredible piece of art. He has in his credit some of the best works of the 20th century. He is also known for the creation of some of the finest sculptures of this period. He also co-founded the Cubism artistic movement in France in 1907. With a short stature and exceptional aesthetic skills, Picasso successfully found a place for himself among the famous people across the globe.
Harry Houdini
At a height of 5 ft. 4 inches, Houdini was an American stunt performer. He was best-known for his incredible escape acts. These acts included freeing himself from handcuffs, chains, and even straitjackets. The skill of freeing himself from the handcuffs earned him the title of ‘The Handcuff King’. He was very confident of his escape skills and wherever, he travel would ask the local police to lock him in the jail and then unbelievably escape from there. Apart from being a member of the Scientific American committee, he was a keen skeptic. Several spiritualists and psychics were also exposed by him.
James Madison
Titled as the fourth president of the Unites states, Madison stand at a height of 5 ft. 4 inches. He ruled the States from March 4, 1809 to March 4, 1817, and was the shortest among the US presidents. He worked as one of the founding fathers of the United States and played a major role in the making of the US constitution. It is therefore, Madison is termed as the Father of the Constitution. He is also known for his contribution to the several events of the American history. Among the many events, Louisiana Purchase has been one of the most prominent events, supervised by Madison himself. The War of 1812 against Great Britain is also one to be taken note of.
Mahatma Gandhi
An Indian statesman and a freedom fighter. His body stature was 5 ft. 5 inches. He has played a major role in the independence of the country. He has contributed his life to the Indian freedom struggle and this made him admired among the people and earned him the title ‘Father of the Nation’. The people of the country lovingly called him as Bapu. He was a devoted supporter of non-violence, which he advocated through several agitations in pre-independence India and South Africa.