[en] Highlights: • First synthesis of tellurium doped in 1D CdS nanostructures via CVD technique. • Te concentration plays an important role in tuning emission from 604–881 nm. • Importantly, IR emission is observed for the first time in CdS NWs. • Doping of Te induces enhancement in output current Ids. • The results are helpful in improving the performance of 1D optoelectronic devices. Improvement of the optical and electrical characteristics is essential to get advanced performance from one dimensional (1D) material. Here, we report the first synthesis of a single crystalline Te-doped CdS nanowires (NWs) by a chemical-vapor-deposition (CVD) method. Room temperature photoluminescence (PL) spectra showed that Te concentration plays an important role in tuning emission color from orange to infrared (IR). Decrease in bandgap and PL intensity with increase in Te concentration was observed as compared to undoped CdS NWs. Red and IR emissions were found at 736.5 and 881 nm for doping concentration >6.06%. To our best knowledge, IR emission band has been observed for the first time in CdS NWs. Red-shift of LO phonon mode and its overtone in Raman spectra, and lifetime of red and IR emissions are longer than bandgap of host indicating the doping effect of CdS NWs. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) of the Te-doped CdS NWs further confirms the presence of Te in the CdS NWs. Output characteristics confirm enhanced output current I_ds with the increase in doping concentration. A possible growth mechanism was proposed. Doping technique offers to develop high-quality, a very stable, effective, and easily-applicable way to enhance the performance of one dimensional optoelectronic devices and solar cell applications.