He collaborated with freedom fighter Veer Surendra Sai and other rebels during the Sambalpur uprising[1] against British East India Company troops.

As a rebel leader, Karunakar played a crucial role in protecting communication channels and ensured reinforcements and supplies were available.

As the Zamindar of Kolabira, Karunakar, along with other nearby Gauntia, inherited the right to maintain an independent militia from the Chauhan kings of Sambalpur.

According to reports by British Assistant Commissioner R.T. Leigh's spies, Karunakar Singh and his 200 local fighters joined some 1400 rebels gathered in Khinda under Surendra Sai.

After a brief conflict left one company Sepoy dead and another wounded, the rebels retreated, avoiding capture and leaving behind eighteen elephant loads of grain.

[4] On reaching Kolabira, the British troops found it difficult to approach the fort due to a copse of thorny bamboo trees on the way.

The British hanged Karunakar on 11 February 1858 at Sambalpur after a mock trial by Lieutenant Cockburn, later defended the execution, stating that he was unaware of Impey's promise.