The Learning Circle was founded by Ishika Jain, a Grade 11 student at The Shri Ram School, Moulsari, pursuing the IB Diploma with Higher Level Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry. Her own interests sit squarely in STEM, particularly environmental science and renewable energy, where her work has ranged from designing a portable household biogas system to research on optimizing hybrid energy and waste-to-energy systems.

It was partly her own experience in STEM that led her to start TLC. Moving through competitions, research programs, and labs, she saw how much of getting ahead depends on knowing the right steps to take and having someone to point them out, and how completely that knowledge is missing for girls who did not happen to grow up around it. The Learning Circle is her effort to hand that knowledge, and that companionship, to the young women who need it most.