3ft 1in boy, 17, hopes to become the world’s smallest doctor after overcoming prejudice – and a circus’s bid to BUY him – to be accepted to study medicine
Ganesh Baraiya, 17, from Gujarat, India, has dwarfism and stands at 3ft 1ins tall
By Chris Pleasance for MailOnline
Published: 15:54 GMT, 15 November 2018 | Updated: 16:10 GMT, 15 November 2018
Ganesh Baraiya, 17, was denied a place at medical school despite acing the entrance tests because he has dwarfism
A 3ft 1in teenager with dwarfism has won the right to become a doctor.
Ganesh Baraiya, 17, was denied a place at medical school despite acing the entry tests by scoring 233 - with 86 needed to pass - because of his height.
But he took his case to the Supreme Court and last month the judges ruled in his favour, paving the way for him to become the world's smallest doctor.
Baraiya, who is from Gujarat, in western India, explained how his stature has always caused him problems - including when a travelling circus tried to buy him for £1,000, equivalent to six months of wages for his father.
His father refused, but was scared the troupe would try to kidnap his son, so began escorting him to school every day and sitting with him in lessons.
Mother Devuben Baraiya, 53, and father Viththal Bhai Baraiya, 58 explained that they first noticed something was different about him when his head started growing bigger than his body.
They consulted pediatricians but every doctor they met said there was nothing they could do and he had a genetic condition that was incurable.
Mother Devuben said: 'We prayed many times at the temple and we even even travelled 300km to pray at a special temple but nothing changed.
The teenager stands at just 3ft 1ins tall because of the genetic condition, but what he lacks in height he makes up for in brainpower
Father Viththalbhai Baraiya (right) explained how a circus once offered to buy his son for £1,000 - six months of wages for him - but he refused
'I even put a tub on his head – like a hat – to try to stop his head growing to give his body a chance to catch up.'
But what Ganesh lacked in height he made up for in brainpower, and he was admitted into
spent all his time studying and showed signs of intelligence from an early age. While some students teased him and laughed at him, others would help him carry his bag and accompany him to the toilet in case he fell as he can't walk properly.
Eventually Viththal admitted Ganesh into a school owned by a doctor named Dalpat Kataria, who has since sponsored his education and legal costs.
Ganesh said: 'People used to always make fun of me and I was always the butt of their jokes. I didn't care what people said about me, it was irrelevant.
'I had plans in life and I was determined to make them happen.'
Under Kataria's tutelage, Ganesh went on to get top grades and applied to study a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery degree.
But once the the Medical Council of India found out about his condition, they refused Ganesh's right to study medicine.
Mr Baraiya (pictured with his wife, son and daughters) told how he escorted Ganesh to school every day after rejecting the circus troupe, because he was afraid they would steal him
Ganesh has now won the right to study medicine after taking his case to India's Supreme Court, and will take up a place at a top state college
They argued that he wouldn't be able to perform emergency cases in practice and special arrangements would have to be made for him, categorising him as 'physically handicapped'.
'I was very disappointed,' Ganesh said. 'But I refused to accept it.'
Ganesh took his case from the Medical Council to the state court, and then on to India's supreme court after the judges there rejected him.
In the end, at a cost of £4,000 in legal fees, Ganesh won out.
Kataria said afterwards: 'The first time I met him I saw his passion and his dream. I also found him brilliant, so I decided to invest my time on his studies.
'I consider him my second child and will support him until he becomes the medical practitioner that he so desperately wants.'
Ganesh added: 'I am very happy that I got justice from the Supreme Court. Now I can fulfil the dream I've had since childhood.
'I know I'm different but I want to live a good life like other people and make my parents proud.
'I hope life will be good at college but if people continue to laugh at me, I will courageously face them as I always have.'
Ganesh is now eligible for admission to any government medical college in his state but will apply to his local Bhavnagar Medical College in the coming year. Dalpat will pay for his education fees.
One day Ganesh hopes to become the shortest doctor in the world and be recognised by the book of Guinness World Records.
Ganesh Baraiya, 17, from Gujarat, India, has dwarfism and stands at 3ft 1ins tall
By Chris Pleasance for MailOnline
Published: 15:54 GMT, 15 November 2018 | Updated: 16:10 GMT, 15 November 2018
Ganesh Baraiya, 17, was denied a place at medical school despite acing the entrance tests because he has dwarfism
A 3ft 1in teenager with dwarfism has won the right to become a doctor.
Ganesh Baraiya, 17, was denied a place at medical school despite acing the entry tests by scoring 233 - with 86 needed to pass - because of his height.
But he took his case to the Supreme Court and last month the judges ruled in his favour, paving the way for him to become the world's smallest doctor.
Baraiya, who is from Gujarat, in western India, explained how his stature has always caused him problems - including when a travelling circus tried to buy him for £1,000, equivalent to six months of wages for his father.
His father refused, but was scared the troupe would try to kidnap his son, so began escorting him to school every day and sitting with him in lessons.
Mother Devuben Baraiya, 53, and father Viththal Bhai Baraiya, 58 explained that they first noticed something was different about him when his head started growing bigger than his body.
They consulted pediatricians but every doctor they met said there was nothing they could do and he had a genetic condition that was incurable.
Mother Devuben said: 'We prayed many times at the temple and we even even travelled 300km to pray at a special temple but nothing changed.
The teenager stands at just 3ft 1ins tall because of the genetic condition, but what he lacks in height he makes up for in brainpower
Father Viththalbhai Baraiya (right) explained how a circus once offered to buy his son for £1,000 - six months of wages for him - but he refused
'I even put a tub on his head – like a hat – to try to stop his head growing to give his body a chance to catch up.'
But what Ganesh lacked in height he made up for in brainpower, and he was admitted into
spent all his time studying and showed signs of intelligence from an early age. While some students teased him and laughed at him, others would help him carry his bag and accompany him to the toilet in case he fell as he can't walk properly.
Eventually Viththal admitted Ganesh into a school owned by a doctor named Dalpat Kataria, who has since sponsored his education and legal costs.
Ganesh said: 'People used to always make fun of me and I was always the butt of their jokes. I didn't care what people said about me, it was irrelevant.
'I had plans in life and I was determined to make them happen.'
Under Kataria's tutelage, Ganesh went on to get top grades and applied to study a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery degree.
But once the the Medical Council of India found out about his condition, they refused Ganesh's right to study medicine.
Mr Baraiya (pictured with his wife, son and daughters) told how he escorted Ganesh to school every day after rejecting the circus troupe, because he was afraid they would steal him
Ganesh has now won the right to study medicine after taking his case to India's Supreme Court, and will take up a place at a top state college
They argued that he wouldn't be able to perform emergency cases in practice and special arrangements would have to be made for him, categorising him as 'physically handicapped'.
'I was very disappointed,' Ganesh said. 'But I refused to accept it.'
Ganesh took his case from the Medical Council to the state court, and then on to India's supreme court after the judges there rejected him.
In the end, at a cost of £4,000 in legal fees, Ganesh won out.
Kataria said afterwards: 'The first time I met him I saw his passion and his dream. I also found him brilliant, so I decided to invest my time on his studies.
'I consider him my second child and will support him until he becomes the medical practitioner that he so desperately wants.'
Ganesh added: 'I am very happy that I got justice from the Supreme Court. Now I can fulfil the dream I've had since childhood.
'I know I'm different but I want to live a good life like other people and make my parents proud.
'I hope life will be good at college but if people continue to laugh at me, I will courageously face them as I always have.'
Ganesh is now eligible for admission to any government medical college in his state but will apply to his local Bhavnagar Medical College in the coming year. Dalpat will pay for his education fees.
One day Ganesh hopes to become the shortest doctor in the world and be recognised by the book of Guinness World Records.
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