PATHARI, MORANG: Malati Rishidev of Sundar Haraincha Municipality in Morang district is probably the shortest person in the country.

The 19-year-old Rishidev is the daughter of Ramesh Prasad Murar, a resident of Sundar Haraincha Municipality-4. Rishidev is 32 inches tall and weighs 14 kilogrammes.

Rishidev does not have the citizenship card but the mayor of Sundar Haraincha Municipality, Shiva Prasad Dhakal, has announced that the municipality would provide her Rs 2,000 a month as social security allowance.

Both her parents have the citizenship cards on the basis of birth but Rishidev lacks one as the government has stopped issuing citizenship by birth for some time.

The Murars live in the landless squatters' settlement at Sundar Haraincha Municipality and are economically poor.