Indian man sets Guinness record after growing five fingernails for 66 years

An Indian man from Pune has earned a place in Guinness World Records after growing the five fingernails on his left hand for 66 years, with their combined length reaching nearly 30 feet.

According to Guinness World Records, Shridhar Chillal’s five nails measured a combined 909.6 centimetres, or about 29 feet 10 inches—roughly the height of a three-storey building.

Each nail was measured separately. His thumbnail was the longest at 197.8 centimetres, followed by the middle fingernail at 186.6 centimetres, the ring fingernail at 181.6 centimetres, the little fingernail at 179.1 centimetres and the index fingernail at 164.5 centimetres.

Chillal’s extraordinary record began in 1952, when he was 16. After a teacher’s long fingernail was accidentally broken by a student at school, the teacher explained the importance of caring for and growing nails. The incident left a lasting impression on Chillal, who decided to stop cutting his nails.

As the nails continued to grow, however, everyday life became increasingly difficult. Sleeping, moving around and performing routine tasks required considerable care, while the length of his nails severely restricted the use of his left hand.

A professional photographer, Chillal even developed a specially designed camera grip to continue working despite the enormous nails. He adapted to the limitations over the decades and continued to preserve them as they grew.

His 66-year-long experiment finally came to an end in 2018, when he cut his nails. The preserved nails were later displayed at the Ripley’s Believe It or Not! museum in New York.

Although Chillal eventually parted with his extraordinary nails, the record remains in the Guinness World Records archives, securing his place among the world’s most unusual record holders.