Smallest woman has big dreamsJyoti Amge, 18, center, who stands at 61.95cm with her family. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

Jyoti Amge, 18, center, who stands at 61.95cm with her family. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

AN 18th birthday is a big occasion for anyone, but for Jyoti Amge the milestone is even bigger news.

The 61.95cm (2ft) tall teenager is already a celebrity in her home town of Nagpur, India, but is now set for a huge record when she was yesterday officially declared the world's smallest woman.

And despite her miniature stature, Jyoti hopes to celebrate being crowned as the world's shortest woman by launching a Bollywood movie career.

She took the Guinness world record from 68.58cm American Bridgette Jordan, and celebrated her birthday with a teddy bear which loomed over her tiny frame.

She came in almost 7cm shorter than the 22-year-old American, who had held the title since September.

A teary-eyed Jyoti, dressed in one of her finest saris, called the honour an "extra birthday present" and said she felt grateful for being small, as it had brought her recognition. She also blew out candles on a birthday cake which was comfortably bigger than her. Even the Guinness World Records book at the ceremony came up to Jyoti's waist. She weighs just 5.5kg - only around 4kg more than she did at birth - and has a form of dwarfism call achondroplasia, which stopped her growing after her first birthday.