Herein, a novel fluorescent carbon dots (TCDs) is synthesized from tamarind by a simple one pot hydrothermal method. The synthesized TCDs are completely characterized by vital techniques. TCDs exhibit an excitation-dependent emission with the quantum yield of 4% and storage stability of more than three months without any stabilizer. Further, fluorescence quenching of TCDs by acceptors such as methyl viologen and hydroxy TEMPO are studied. Quenching of TCDs is due to electron transfer as evidenced by the decrease in fluorescence lifetime measurements. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.