World's tallest and shortest women share secrets and dreams as they interview each other
Despite a language barrier and a height difference of 5 ft, the world’s tallest and shortest women got to know each other on a deeper level when they sat down for a tell-all chat.
Rumeysa Gelgi, who is 215.15 cm (7 ft 0.7 in) tall, and Jyoti Amge, who stands at 62.8 cm (2 ft 0.7 in), shared their biggest dreams and secrets with each other when they met up in London.
We brought them to the capital in November last year to celebrate our 70th anniversary by giving them both ICON status, and they instantly formed an unbreakable bond.
The record-breaking pair were asked to sit down for an open and honest conversation, where they could ask each other anything and everything they wanted to know about life from their very different perspectives.
And while they may not physically see eye-to-eye, the women have a lot more in common than you might think.
Rumeysa, from Türkiye, wanted to ask Jyoti, from India, a question that people often ask her.
She said: “Jyoti, I have a special question for you, and a lot of people ask this to me.
“So, let’s say a magic happens one day and you could turn into someone with average height.
“Would that be something you would prefer?”
Jyoti answered honestly: “If my height was more before the record, I would like it. But now that I have a record with Guinness World Records, I won’t like my height to increase, because the world knows me for my height and this record too.”
She threw the question back at Rumeysa, who said her answer was similar.
She added: “I wouldn’t change my height to become a person with average height because I believe that this is what makes me me, what makes me special, what makes me, you know, the tallest woman in the world.
“I know that if I had not gone through so many challenges in life, because of my syndrome and everything else, I wouldn’t be who I am today.”
Jyoti, who is also the shortest actress thanks to her role in American Horror Story: Freak Show, asked Rumeysa what her favourite thing about being tall is.
Rumeysa, who also has lots of other records thanks to her tall stature, said: “I think my favourite thing about being the tallest woman is getting the honour of this record from Guinness World Records, and also seven more records too.
“I also receive a lot of positive attention from the public when I’m out.
“I receive so many beautiful messages empowering me, I just love the support from around the world.”
“Same as me,” Jyoti said with a giggle.
The women also asked each other what they wanted people to know about them.
Rumeysa, who was the focus of GWR documentary Walking Tall, said that she wishes people know more about her condition, Weaver Syndrome, which caused her record-breaking height.
She said: “It’s a syndrome, it’s not an illness, it’s not something we can treat. So I just would like people to know that I don’t have a disease, an illness, or need to be treated.
“This is how I was born, how I am.
“Also, all the physical features I have come from my syndrome. So there is nothing to find awkward, it’s just a syndrome and how I am.”
Jyoti then admitted that she often gets wound up by people asking whether or not she has a boyfriend.
And she said she doesn’t really like sharing too much of her personal life.
She said: “My entire life is a normal life, but everyone wants to know how my life is.
“What I do, where do I go for fun, how is my family, all this.”
She added: “I don’t like it, but when we are famous everyone has a dream to know more about us.
“Like the world’s shortest woman, world’s tallest woman, what is gong on in their life? How do they live their life?
“We have to tell them, but I never liked exposing my personal life, so sometimes I get angry.”
The women each spoke about the reactions they get when they go out and about, each saying they are often met with “respect and love” by the people they meet.
They also spoke of their shared love for make up and dressing up nice, although they each struggle to find clothing that fits their unique bodies.
Jyoti and Rumeysa also asked each other to share their biggest dreams.
Jyoti said: “My biggest dream is to have my statue in London’s Madame Tussauds, that stays there for years, and I become famous forever.”
Rumeysa said: “My biggest dream is travelling around the world.”
And things got a bit cheeky when the women quizzed each other on their hidden talents.
Thinking, Rumeysa said: “Well, I think it’s not hidden, but I love technology, I’m into the world of computers and software.
“I’m a software developer – that’s my job.”
When asked about her hidden talent, cheeky Jyoti said: “Because my height is short I can listen to secrets of other people.
“If I sit next to them quietly, I cannot be seen and I know the secret.”
She added: “Because my height is small I can scare people. I find it fun doing all this.”
The women ended their chat by discussing the difficulties they face in their lives due to their height, but circling right back to the beginning, they doubled down on saying they wouldn’t change anything about themselves.
They’re both proud to be record holders and we’re incredibly proud to have them as part of our Guinness World Records family.