Konwar began his career as a lecturer in the English Department of
Cotton College in
Guwahati. Then in 1961 he went to work for the American firm
Standard Vacuum Oil Company in
Mumbai as a marketing manager and remained in that position for seven years, coordinating petroleum products distribution networks in Northern and Eastern India from Trombay, Vizag, Barauni, Noonmati, Digboi Refineries and Budge-Budge sea Terminal and another company Inland Product Terminals. In 1968-69 he established a Degree College in Guwahati City known as Guwahati College as its founder Principal. In November 1969 he joined
Gauhati High Court Bar and practised there as well as in the Supreme Court of India as an Advocate till 1991. He professionally served as Government Advocate for the States of
Assam,
Tripura,
Arunachal Pradesh and
Mizoram in the Gauhati High Court. He joined the
Indian National Congress as a student leader in 1955 and never left the party till his death. He held various party posts at district and state levels at different times including General Secretaryship and Vice-Presidency of Assam Pradesh Congress Committee from 1983–1991. He had been chosen to lead a composite 28-member Friends of Soviet Union Delegation composed of participants from Assam, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu to Moscow, Tashkent, Alma-Ata, Kiev, Sochi, Leningrad, etc. in 1988. He served as the governor of Bihar. While he was the Governor of
Bihar he was also given an additional charge as the Governor of
West Bengal until he was succeeded by
Mayankote Kelath Narayanan on 24 January 2011. ==Political life==