Meet Gattipally Shivpal, India's First Dwarf To Obtain A Driving License

Gattipally Shivpal, who hails from Hyderabad, has become the first dwarf in the country to obtain a driver's license.

The 42-year-old man with a height of about three feet has beaten all odds and has become the first to complete his degree as a handicapped in his district Karimnagar. Mr Shivpal finished his degree in 2004.

Speaking to ANI, Mr Shivpal said: "People used to tease me because of my height and today I am nominated for The Limca book of records and many others. Many short people are contacting me for driving training."

The highly ambitious man said that he has decided to start a driving school next year for physically handicapped people.

Mr Shivpal presently works at a private firm and says that he came to Hyderabad in 2000. "I am the eldest sibling and the only dwarf in the family," he added.

Narrating his struggles with finding a job to sustain himself in the city, Mr Shivpal said that he featured in a movie and a daily soap initially but could not sustain in the industry for long.

"People were not ready to offer me a job as I was handicapped. Through a friend, I got a job in a private company and now I have been working here for the past 20 years," he said.

"To commute, whenever I booked cabs, they used to cancel the ride. When I used to go out with my wife, people passed bad comments. That's when I decided to own a car and ride it," he added.

Enthusiastic to learn to drive, Mr Shivpal surfed the internet and found a video uploaded by a man in the US. It explained to him the modifications required in a car to lift the seat and other equipment up to his height.

After getting a car modified, Mr Shivpal learnt car driving from a friend. However, his struggles did not end here, as getting a license posed another challenge as the transport department had certain guidelines for height.

Mr Shivpal said that after appealing to the authorities, he obtained a learner's license for three months and then received a driver license after giving a proper driving test with an official sitting beside him.

"Everybody has some fault in them, but finding your hidden talents and achieving them is what matters," he remarked.