<p>In this study, we have investigated the impact of sugarcane juice mediated self-combustion synthesis route and La doping on the micro-structural, optical absorption, luminescence and magnetic properties of Ti_1-xLa_xO₂ (x: 0.02–0.15) quantum dots (QDs). Rietveld, PXRD and SAED analysis confirmed formation of 2% La doped TiO₂ in the anatase symmetry, while for&#xa0;4% &amp; above La content, the Ti_1-xLa_xO₂ QDs adopted dominant anatase phase along with systematic growing of secondary rutile phase. FESEM and HRTEM micrographs revealed quite narrow size distribution of the ultrafine nanocrystals with mean size in the QDs regime (2–7&#xa0;nm). Nice fits to the asymmetry and line broadening of the most intense E_g(1) Raman mode with the Phonon confinement and Fano models illustrated that introduction of La⁺³ ions in the TiO₂ lattice induces notable distortion in the crystal symmetry and thus, led to production of oxygen vacancies in the TiO₂ lattice. Further, FTIR analysis indicated presence of surface absorbed hydroxyl group on the QDs, which affirms existence of surface defects in these QDs. The band gap and Urbach energy monotonically increases with La content in Ti_1-xLa_xO₂ QDs. In addition, the photoluminescence studies demonstrated multiple electronic transitions in the visible band and thus, corroborated presence of surface defects and oxygen vacancies in these QDs. Moreover, these QDs exhibited sharp ESR profile, which establishes presence of singly ionized oxygen vacancies as paramagnetic centers. Notably, these Ti_1-xLa_xO₂ QDs exhibited d⁰ type ferromagnetism at 300&#xa0;K, which is not influenced by the amount of La doping in the TiO₂ lattice, as the defects gave rise to weak d⁰ type ferromagnetic ordering in these La doped TiO₂ QDs, which is nicely fitted and explained within the BMP model. These Ti_1-xLa_xO₂ QDs might be useful for making UV absorbers, sensors and magneto-optic devices.</p>