This paper reports on the synthesis of copper doped sulfated titania nano-crystalline powders with varying (2.0%-10.0%, by mass) by single step sol gel method. The synthesized photo catalyst has been characterized by employing various techniques like X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Ultraviolet-Visible Diffuse Reflection Spectroscopy (UV-Vis DRS), X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Energy Dispersive Spectrometry (EDS), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopic Studies (FT-IR), and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). From the XRD and TEM results, all the samples were reported in anatase phase with reduction in particle size in the range of 7 to 12 nm. SEM indicated the change in morphology of the particles. The presence of copper in titania lattice was evidenced by XPS. From UV-Vis DRS and FT-IR studies indicated that prominent absorption shift is observed towards visible region (red shift), the entry of Cu2+ into TiO2 lattice as a substitutional dopant and SO42- ions were covalently bonded with Ti4+ on the surface of the copper doped titania respectively. The photocatalytic activity studies were investigated by considering methyl orange (MO) as dye pollutant in the presence of the visible light. The effect of various parameters like effect of dosage of the catalyst, dopant concentration, pH of the solution, and concentration of the dye was studied in detail. (C) 2015 The Chemical Industry and Engineering Society of China, and Chemical Industry Press. All rights reserved.