Our Board of Directors


The Jindhag Foundation is a charitable organization founded to support and preserve the cultural diversity of traditional and indigenous peoples around the world that are being threatened with extinction and assimilation into modernity. The word Jindhag comes from the Tibetan word for “sponsors” and is associated with the notion of giving support.

Ira Seret


Ira Seret came of age amid the pop art scene of 1960’s New York. He made his first trip to Afghanistan in 1968 in search of the embroidered sheepskin coats that he would help turn into one of the iconic looks of the era. Having fallen in love with Afghanistan, Ira stayed for 10 years.

He gained fame in fashion and interior design circles and was instrumental in bringing the Asian aesthetic to the West. Drawing on the rich artistic traditions of Central Asia, Ira developed his unique style of carpet, fabric, and furniture design, establishing himself as the preeminent resource for the international design community. Buying and designing for Anne Klein, Oscar de la Renta, Angela Donghia, Bloomingdales, Stark Carpet, and others, Ira’s creative spirit flourished.

In 1974 his future wife, Sylvia, joined him in Kabul, and together they established a carpet factory in the northern region of Balkh. In 1977 their son, Isaiah, was born and the following year the family left Afghanistan after a Russian backed coup took over the Afghan government. Drawn to Santa Fe, New Mexico, where the high desert landscape and traditional architecture resembled that of Kabul, the Ira and Sylvia established Seret & Sons, a shop to showcase their impressive private collection of textiles and furniture amassed during their years abroad.

The business has expanded over the years into one of the world’s most unique collections of Central Asian Silk Road and South Asian imports. For the past 26 years, The Inn of The Five Graces has been Ira and Sylvia’s creative endeavor and a showcase for their unique design aesthetic.