New Delhi: Former All-England champion Pullela Gopichand has been appointed India's chief national badminton coach on Wednesday.
Gopichand has been appointed to prepare for the 2009 world championships and the Commonwealth Games in 2007 to be held in India.
The 32-year-old, who won the All-England men's title in 2001, will oversee an extensive training programme that would include sparring stints with players from major badminton powers, Indian badminton chief V K Verma said.
India qualified for 2006 Thomas Cup finals after six years, reaching the quarterfinals and coming fifth among Asian nations behind China, Indonesia, Malaysia and South Korea.
Verma said India could challenge badminton's big powers through proper planning and that funds have been raised for the long-term coaching scheme.
"It is an honour and also a big responsibility," said Gopichand, whose trainee Saina Nehwal was hailed by India after the 16-year-old won the Philippines Open on Sunday.
Gopichand was confident despite a lack of coaching experience.
He said India's junior talent was among the best in the world, but had a caveat.
"Talent is not the most important thing, moulding the players, making them believe they can be the best in the world is."
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