General Rikhye’s memoirs are a fascinating, colorful account of a man whose private and professional life has often crossed the path of history. The scion of a Brahmin family at the Sikh court, Indar Jit Rikhye joined the Indian Army with the blessings of Mahatma Gandhi and fought with the Indian cavalry regiment in the Middle East and Italy in World War II. Returning home to the convulsions of partition, his regiment splintered, his family was forced to leave the Punjab, and he found himself battling in Jammu & Kashmir, in defense of India’s new borders. The warrior then became the peacemaker. After commanding troops in the first UN peacekeeping operation, Rikhye became military adviser to two secretaries general of the United Nations, Dag Hammarskjold and U Thant. His work took him from one global hotspot to another, made him confidante of world leaders, and thrust him into negotiations at the highest levels. Peacekeeping led to peace education. Rikhye served for twenty years as the president of the International Peace Academy, teaching others the skills he had learned first hand. His unique experience earned him the respect of scholars and policymakers from Washington to Delhi and beyond. This remarkable story is told by General Rikhye’s characteristic candor, wit, and modesty. Trumpets and Tumults reveals much not only about its author but also about the forces that have shaped the world over the past seventy years.
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