Visible light-active carbon-loaded anatase TiO2 (C-TiO2) nanocrystals of spherical, distorted spherical, rice grain and hexagonal morphologies, with a particle size range of 50-70 nm, have been synthesized by a rapid microwave-assisted route in the solution state. The morphology of these materials is greatly tuned at low concentrations of the precursors used. The absorption band gaps (Egap) are shifted to the visible region due to C loading, and the distorted spherical C-TiO2 exhibits a maximum energy shift relative to pure TiO2. Carbon gets deposited predominantly on the surface as graphitic carbon, in the preparative conditions, as confirmed by X-ray photoelectron, scanning electron microscopy elemental mapping and Raman spectroscopic studies. The rapid degradation of an endocrine disrupting agent and a persistent pollutant in wastewater, carbamazepine, by the rice grain shaped C-TiO2 is attributed to the large surface area (229 m2/g) of the particles and coexposure of the high surface energy and more reactive {001} facets along with the low energy and thermodynamically stable {101} facets. (Graph Presented.) © 2015 American Chemical Society.