Former All England [Images] Badminton champion Pullela Gopichand is set to take over as India's chief badminton coach for a four-year period.

Gopichand, one of the finest shuttlers India has produced, will take over the reins from Vimal Kumar, whose three-year tenure ended with the Thomas Cup in Tokyo last month where India reached the quarter-finals.

"In view of the major competitions coming up in the next few years, the Badminton Association of India has decided to make Gopichand the chief coach till 2010," well-informed sources said on Tuesday.

Gopichand was in the running for the top post after he was put in charge of India's campaign for the 2010 New Delhi Commonwealth Games and the 2012 London [Images] Olympics [Images].

"He has already given his consent for the job and a formal announcement will be made tomorrow," sources said.

The focus will be to deliver a promising crop of youngsters in the next few years, who could vie for top honours at the Delhi Commonwealth Games, World Badminton Championships in 2009 and the 2012 Olympics.

The 2009 Badminton World Championships would be the fourth instance of India hosting such a premier event in an Olympic discipline.

India have hosted the Table Tennis World Championships in 1952, 1974-75 and 1987.