The evaporation characteristics of karanja biodiesel and its blends with diesel measured in a suspended droplet facility are reported in this article. The results have been compared with the evaporation rates of pure single component hydrocarbon fuels, such as n-decane, n-heptane, and neat fossil diesel. Unlike pure hydrocarbons, the evaporation rate for karanja biodiesel is seen to be linear. The evaporation rate decreases as the biodiesel content in the blend increases and its variation tends to be nonlinear particularly at higher temperatures. The karanja and its blends with diesel have a longer heating phase and droplet lifetime compared to diesel. © Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.