I think you're definitely right. In India it's actually socially or culturally determined aspect.

But I also want to add that it's so much in the roots of our culture, women generally love this division even when they are working. I've seen many examples of working women who manage to keep their husbands out of kitchen because they pride in cooking for the family. The relationship between wife and husband are generally idiosyncratic here and the lowest level of divorces intensify this. I think living with other family members certainly has a big role in making it happen without any fuss.

My sister and her husband both are working and they have two kids - 5 and 8 years old. But because my sister too lives with a combined family - a family of 4 men with three already married - the household work is divided between everyone. The kitchen however is exclusive to women. Because my sister is a teacher and her kids go to school as well early in the morning, the breakfast is cooked by her mother-in-law and sister-in-law. They also cook the lunch for the entire family. And my sister cooks in the evening and both the other women help her.

That's how it all works. It's amazing to see every household role clearly defined and divided. I think it's very specific to indian subcontinent and rest of the world takes it otherwise. I hope you now understand how amazing an essential system can be if it's sorted like we have here.