I just looked into the google. Padma Vibhushan is awarded to civilians including government servants, but excluding military personnel! Maneksha was awarded Padma Vibhushan for civil service in the year 1972. As you perhaps now, military personnel are deputed to other departments and asked to perform civilian duties. Even in Defence Ministry etc. military personnel do civilian work as in the case of say, a finance ministry or railway ministry. For example prior to STD/ISD services, we used to call to distant places through telephone exchange. There are telephones exchanges in the defence ministry which were maintained and operted by defence personnel for civilian purpose I presume. I am not sure about this, people who served in the military may be able to comment authoritatively on this subject.
