Your observation is for the most part correct, but your attributing it to the caste system is typical western stereotype.You say you were in Chennai- Chennai is in the state of Tamil Nadu which has the one of the lowest populations of Brahmins in India - they are less than 1% of the population and the majority of employees in sw companies are not Brahmins. On the other hand if you had said that if this slavish attitude is due to being subjected to outside rule (the Brits and before them the Mughals) it might make more sense.
Overall I agree with your observations, especially "they'll follow you right into hell".