Which traveller gave the following statement about female education in South India.

"I saw in Hanaur thirteen Schools for the instruction of girls. and twenty-three for boys. a thing I have not seen anywhere else"?   

The correct answer is Ibn Battuta.Key Points

• These lines are taken from "K.A. Nilakanta Sastri's" book "A History of South India", discussing the state of education in the region in ancient times.
• The author notes that information on higher studies in Sanskrit is readily available from inscriptions, but information on popular education is harder to come by.
• Teaching technical or vocational skills was a private affair, with fathers teaching their children the trade or calling.
• The presence of village schools and the use of rote learning and fine sand for writing.
• The Italian traveler Pietro Della Valle and the Moroccan traveler Ibn Battuta both wrote about the education system in South India, with Ibn Battuta mentioning "I saw in Hanaur thirteen Schools for the instruction of girls. and twenty-three for boys. a thing I have not seen anywhere else"
• The author mentions the role of temples, mathas, Jain pallis, and Buddhist viharas in providing adult education.

• The author concludes by noting the existence of libraries in all branches of learning maintained by these institutions.

Therefore the correct answer is Ibn Battuta.Additional Information 

Ibn Battuta

• Ibn Battuta was a 14th-century Moroccan explorer and scholar.
• He is known for his extensive travels, covering over 75,000 miles across Asia, Africa, and Europe.
• Wrote about his experiences in his book "Rihla."

Abdur Razzak

• Abdur Razzak was born on 7 November 1413 in Herat(presently in Afghanistan).
• Visited the Vijaynagar Kingdom at the time of Dev Raya II ruler of the Sangama dynasty.
• Abdur Razzak wrote his travels in the Matla-us-Sadain wa Majma-ul-Bahrain, or The Rise of Two Auspicious Constellations and the Confluence of Two Oceans.

Duarte Barbosa

• Duarte Barbosa was a Portuguese traveler who visited India in the early 16th century.
• His writings include the Vijayanagar empire’s people and government. 
• One of his most notable works is the "Livro de Duarte Barbosa", a comprehensive account of the Portuguese experiences in India, including their interactions with the local people and the Vijayanagara empire