Arvind Kajaria ’87 came to Adelphi from India in 1985, and what he experienced as a student at the University was truly eye-opening. Since earning his bachelor's degree in business, he’s applied what he learned both in and beyond the classroom and established numerous businesses, including one of the world’s largest ecard websites, 123Greetings.com, Inc. We talked with him about his transformative Adelphi journey.
How did you decide to travel halfway around the world to study at Adelphi?
I grew up thinking that America is the way to go. My grandfather said, “Go West, young man,” so I did. I chose New York because it’s a melting pot, but I didn’t know anyone there other than a distant cousin. When I asked if he could take me in, he said, “Okay, for the first two weeks, until you figure it out, you can stay with me.”
I always admired the ability of Americans for one thing above all—their ability to sell. So when I got to Adelphi, I knew I’d major in business, but I didn’t want to study accounting, math or physics. I wanted to take every single marketing and liberal arts course I could, because I didn’t get that in India.
That was one of the best decisions I ever made. I’d had no exposure to marketing, so I took courses in that. I took advertising courses, which helped me get an internship at Ogilvy & Mather. And I took psychology courses. One psychology professor, Susan Peterson, changed my life. She taught me what psychology is, what sociology is, what utilitarian concepts are, and even what the difference is between subjective and objective.
These were phenomenal experiences and have stayed with me throughout my career. My exposure to the American education system was fantastic.
You must have had many other new experiences at Adelphi. What stands out for you?
When I got to Adelphi, I didn’t know what a fraternity is. But I always liked to try new things, so I joined one—Delta Sigma Pi, which is a fraternity for business students. I met some of my best friends there, and I still keep in touch with at least seven or eight of them.
I also joined the quiz group and the debating team, which helped me get very close with other students. I learned to bowl. One of my closest friends was Christine Mancino [’88], who was a big Islanders fan. She took me to one of their games at the Nassau Coliseum and to rock concerts there.
If I hadn’t done those things, I wouldn’t have gotten the whole experience of Adelphi.
How did your experience at Adelphi lead you to start 123Greetings.com?
I got my first exposure to technology started at Adelphi. There was a computer right outside the student center on campus that was running what was called a Bulletin Board System. This was before the internet, but at the time, it was fantastic. It displayed a scrolling list of events and notices, and it fascinated me. I mean, when I saw it, I said, “What is this, man? This is brilliant.” It got me excited about technology. And that, along with what Professor Peterson taught me about psychology, gave me the idea for 123Greetings.com. It makes sense—greeting cards are about communication, and communication is all about psychology.
Adelphi helped me make my company a success in another way. The fraternity I joined introduced me to people I’d never had exposure to before. I made Jewish friends, so I came to understand what Rosh Hashanah is, what Sukkot is, and that led me to create cards for those holidays. I made African American friends, so now I know what Kwanzaa is. I had Chinese friends, so I now understand how to celebrate the Chinese New Year.
I’ve gone on to create greeting cards for 3,000 holidays and festivals, which has helped my company attract a billion users on this planet. I feel very good about that.
Kajaria (second from right) remains close friends with his Adelphi housemates Hemant Goenka ’87 (fifth from right) and Sandeep Fogla ’87 (seventh from right). The trio were part of an alumni gathering that met with Thomas Kline, EdD, vice president of University advancement and external relations, when he visited Kolkata, India.
You really must have had a great time at Adelphi. I hear you even recruited some of your friends to join you.
I did. Two of my closest friends from home were at colleges in Peoria and Chicago. It was around Thanksgiving, and I said to those jokers, “What are you doing out there? You should be here.” They applied to Adelphi the very next day and were on campus in January.
We ended up sharing an apartment near campus. We were bachelors and didn’t even have beds when we moved in. We had three rooms, though, so every Saturday night we used to put on music and invite my fraternity guys over. I told them they could bring friends and refreshments with them, but we charged them $5 to help keep the place clean! It was a great time, and I made some really cool friends.
But one of the best things was that Adelphi gave me exposure to city life. I could go to Manhattan whenever I wanted. And yet I had the suburbs to enjoy as well. I was a great fan of Eisenhower Park, and I used to walk there and play golf. I even tried my hand at baseball.
I got the best of both worlds, which is possible only at Adelphi.
How do you plan to stay involved with Adelphi and our students and alumni?
One way is by being a mentor. If there are students and alumni who think they can learn from my global experience, I would go out of my way to help them.
Adelphi shaped my life and my thinking. I am very grateful for that. I would do anything I can to help my alma mater and to let everyone know that there are Adelphi alumni who are always willing to give you their time.