ZnS nanoparticles with Mn2+ doping (1–2.5%) have been prepared through a simple soft chemical route, namely the chemical precipitation method. The nanostructures of the prepared undoped ZnS and Mn2+-doped ZnS:Mn nanoparticles have been analyzed using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM) and UV–vis spectrophotometer. The size of the particles is found to be in 2–3nm range. Room-temperature photoluminescence (PL) spectrum of the undoped sample only exhibits a blue-light emission peaked at ∼365nm under UV excitation. However, from the Mn2+-doped samples, a yellow-orange emission from the Mn2+4T1–6A1 transition is observed along with the blue emission. The prepared 2.5% Mn2+-doped sample shows efficient emission of yellow-orange light with the peak emission at ∼580nm with the blue emission suppressed.