The manganite Nd 0.15 Ca 0.85 MnO 3 crystallizes in GdFeO 3 -type, orthorhombic structure (space group Pnma) at 300 K and orders antiferromagnetically at 112 K (T N ). Magnetization-field (M-H) isotherms indicate metamagnetic transition at temperatures below T N . However, metamagnetism does not lead to saturation in magnetization. The magnetization value at 2 K in 140 kOe field is only 0.4 μ B /f.u. The isothermal magnetic entropy change (ΔS m ) has been calculated using the M-H data and inverse magnetocaloric effect is observed around T N and the maximum value of ΔS m is ∼12.2 J kg −1 K −1 at 107.5 K for 140 kOe field change. Powder neutron diffraction study in zero applied field reveals monoclinic distortion of Nd 0.15 Ca 0.85 MnO 3 crystal lattice and antiferromagnetic ordering of Mn sublattice in ac-plane with wave vector K = [1/2, 0, 1/2] at 125 K. From the neutron data, the Mn magnetic moment value at 3 K is found to be 2.54 μ B . Electrical resistivity increases tremendously below T N to an insulating state and shows thermal hysteresis near T N in zero field. Large magnetic fields drive insulator to metal-like transition and negative colossal magnetoresistance of about 70% is realized at 50 K in 70 kOe field and that could be due to the field-induced order. © 2019 Elsevier Ltd